Colon cancer risk increased by type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes that is often associated with obesity, gives rise to a variety of complications. According to a new study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, type 2 diabetes could also be conducive to an increased risk of colorectal cancer, particularly amongst men.
Diabetes has been linked with cancer in many studies, yet when it comes to colorectal cancer previous research has provided contradictory conclusions. The study team, based at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Minnesota, bore these confusions in mind when carrying out their research. The team evaluated medical data from over 85,000 patients who were surveyed in the Rochester Epidemiology Project.
The researchers adjusted for calendar period and age, and still found a 39 per cent higher incidence of new cases of cancer amongst the diabetic population. The result was found to be statistically significant only amongst men.
The data indicated that the risk of colorectal cancer was higher amongst diabetics who were current or former smokers. Limburg, an expert at the helm of the study, said: “Colorectal cancer screening … and tobacco cessation should be strongly emphasized for type 2 diabetes patients.”