PRE-DIABETES INCREASES CANCER RISK

A new analysis of 16 studies including nearly 900,000 subjects from around the world finds that having pre-diabetes is associated with an increased the risk of many types of cancer.  Researchers found that people with pre-diabetes had a 15% increased risk of cancer overall and specifically pre-diabetes increases the risk of stomach, colorectal, liver, pancreas, breast and endometrial cancers.  

People with pre-diabetes have blood sugar levels that are higher than normal, but not high enough to be considered full-blown diabetes.  An estimated 36% of adult Americans currently have pre-diabetes and this percentage is expected to rapidly rise in the coming decade.  The increased risk remained even after controlling for overweight/obesity, an important risk factor for many types of cancer as well as diabetes. 

There are several reasons why pre-diabetes and cancer appear to be linked.  Chronically elevated blood sugar increases oxidative stress on the body and depresses the immune system increasing the likelihood that cancer will take hold.  Additionally, the accumulation of advanced glycated end-products that are the result of high blood sugar are believed to be carcinogenic.  Additionally pre-diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance in which the body must produce much more insulin than normal.  Excess insulin is known to promote cancer cell growth and division.  On the plus side, the drug metformin, a first line therapy for pre-diabetes that decreases high blood sugar and insulin resistance, has been found to decrease cancer risk among diabetics by as much as 30%.    

What to do:  Most people with pre-diabetes do not know they have it.  Keep up to date with your healthcare to ensure you are being screened for pre-diabetes.  Excess weight and inactivity are two of the most important risk factors for pre-diabetes (as well as most other chronic diseases).  So, eat healthier and get moving!  Losing as little as 7% of body weight and getting in 30 minutes of moderate physical activity (such as brisk walking) five days a week has been shown to be quite effective at preventing and improving pre-diabetes. 

Adapted from articles available at:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140908204706.htm

http://www.clinicalendocrinologynews.com/home/article/prediabetes-increases-cancer-risk-by-15/12813119fac35f33ad4ac87cb9871d1a.html

https://time.com/3306329/prediabetes-and-cancer/

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/08/prediabetes-blood-sugar/

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_148270.html

Source:

Huang Y,  Cai X et al. Prediabetes and the risk of cancer: A meta-analysis.  Diabetologia, September 2014. DOI: 10.1007/s00125-014-3361-2