Diabetes and cancer linked in Japan

Diabetes and cancer could be linked, according to a new study from Japan .
A study from the national cancer centre in Tokyo has revealed that adults in Japan suffering from diabetes may also face an increased risk of cancer, particularly cancer in the liver, pancreas and kidney.
The data comes from an enormous study group of almost 100,000 Japanese men and women aged 40-69. Men with diabetes were found to have a 27 per cent higher risk of developing some kind of cancer, whilst women also faced a higher risk.
The nature of the links is not entirely clear, but it is believed that extra insulin may cause cells to grow in some organs. Changes in sex hormone levels may also influences ovarian and prostrate cancer levels.
The researchers highlighted the fact that other factors could have something to do with the link – obesity was mentioned as a major factor. It is estimated that almost 9 per cent of the Japanese population will have diabetes by 2025. The future, for both the healthcare system and the individual, is looking testing.