Posted on January 8, 2008 in Latest News
A number of studies related to cancer research presented at the Sixth Annual International Conference in December, 2007 on ‘Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research of the American Association’, reported that development of different type of cancers both in men and women, such as prostate cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer are associated with diabetes and weight gain.
One of the studies presented as “Abstract no. B93: Diabetes and hyper-insulinemia as predictors of risk in a prospective cohort of women”, by researchers of University of Minnesota reported that the development of colorectal cancer is 1.5 times more in women with diabetes than women with no diabetes.
What the study says?
The study’s lead author, Dr. Andrew Flood, assistant professor in the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health and the University of Minnesota Cancer Center, said, “Colorectal cancer and type II diabetes share a number of common factors, including obesity, so it is interesting to see the direct line between these two conditions… Our primary finding in this study was that a diagnosis of diabetes meant a 50 percent stronger chance of developing colorectal cancer.”
Adding to it he said that, “In general, the idea is that if elevated insulin levels create a biochemical environment conducive to cancer growth, it provides one mechanism by which diet and lifestyle can really influence cancer risk.”
Result of the study:
The researchers examined 45,000 participants’ records, a data from a large-scale cancer screening study called the Breast Cancer Demonstration Project, which was done in the 1970s and at 29 different medical centers throughout US.
Dr Flood and colleagues made one category of participants who had history of self-reported diabetes or colorectal cancer for 8 years and the other category substituted those participants who subsequently developed colorectal cancer.
After observing many risk factors the study found diabetic women had the greatest risk of developing colorectal cancer. As Dr. Flood explained, “These results remained statistically significant even after controlling for all known and suspected confounding variables.”
Adding to the above statement he said, “Elevated rates of insulin itself may promote the risk.” The researchers believe that the increased risk of colorectal cancer is associated with elevated levels of insulin in diabetics
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