A recent study has unveiled significant connections between new-onset Type 2 diabetes and a heightened risk of various obesity-related cancers. Conducted using data from the U.K. Biobank, researchers focused on over 23,000 participants with newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes and matched them with more than 71,000 individuals without the condition. What these findings uncover is a shocking reality. Individuals with Type 2 diabetes are at much greater risk of developing several different cancers compared to those without the disease.
Type 2 diabetes is largely preventable and affected by weight, dietary choices, and lack of physical activity. It’s radically different from insulin-dependent Type 1 diabetes. The national study followed participants for five years on average. It painted a shocking picture of the cancer dangers associated with Type 2 diabetes.
The analysis found that men with Type 2 diabetes have a 27% increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. In comparison, men with the same condition suffer a 34% higher risk. The most surprising revelation from this study was that women almost double the risk of pancreatic cancer. At the same time, men experience an increased risk of 74%. Liver cancer has become a dangerous threat, particularly among people with Type 2 diabetes. Men are almost four times more likely, women five times more likely.
Owen Tipping, a BSc researcher, explained the duplicitous cancer risks that Type 2 diabetes and obesity can pose together. He stressed that both of these conditions are key to exacerbating such risks.
“Type 2 diabetes and obesity are associated with similar cancers, and these conditions also often co-exist, making it difficult to decipher whether type 2 diabetes causes cancer, or whether it’s due to coexisting obesity.” – Owen Tipping, BSc
This study underscored the public health importance of obesity being a well-established risk factor for at least 13 cancers. The reverse causal relationship between Type 2 diabetes and cancer is much less clear. This suggests that there are likely additional mechanisms promoting cancer initiation and/or further enhancing growth among people with Type 2 diabetes.
“The significance of this is that type 2 diabetes may increase the risk of cancer independent of obesity, rather than it being solely due to obesity — i.e., in the scenario where a person living with diabetes has a healthy BMI value.” – Owen Tipping
The study underscores the importance of taking a much closer look at the relationship between Type 2 diabetes and cancer. This is especially important given that as of 2021, an estimated 10.5% of the global adult population had diabetes, with 90% of those cases being Type 2.
Even though there are frightening implications, data scientists and epidemiologists are advising some restraint in the way this information is discussed. As we’re learning these things, Dr. Jacoub stressed, you don’t want to scare patients to death.
“I think that there need to be more prospective studies looking at patients that are obese that have type 2 diabetes versus those that don’t,” – Bilchik.
The relationship between Type 2 diabetes and cancer is complicated. This complexity is compounded in that obesity goes hand-in-hand with Type 2 diabetes. This overlap poses a challenge. Researchers have concluded that it’s difficult to ascertain if the cancer risk is due to Type 2 diabetes or related obesity.
“Colorectal cancer risk increased by 27% for men and 34% for women, liver cancer chances almost quadrupled for men and increased five-fold for women. And pancreatic cancer risk almost doubled for women and increased by 74% for men.” – Owen Tipping
The researchers discussed how hyperinsulinemia, inflammation, and alterations in the microbiome may promote carcinogenesis. This holds especially true for those with Type 2 diabetes. This suggests a broader need for rigorous research to unpack these mechanisms.
Tipping advocates for increased access to cancer screening for people living with Type 2 diabetes to enable early detection.
“Cancer screening for people living with type 2 diabetes might be beneficial to detect these cancers early.” – Owen Tipping
Leave a Reply