People with pre-diabetes have a 15% increased risk of cancer, according to a study published in the journal Diabetologia.
The study, which aimed to evaluate the association between incidence of pre-diabetes and risk for cancer, examined data from several studies between the two conditions—over 890,000 cases in all.
They found that not only is there an association between pre-diabetes and overall cancer risk, but pre-diabetes was associated with site-specific cancers as well. Researchers found that there was a significant association between pre-diabetes and stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, and endometrial cancer.
The study authors conclude that screening for pre-diabetes is extremely important in the prevention of cancer, especially for any healthcare professional concerned with reducing cancer risk for patients.
Nearly half the adult population in the United States is afflicted by either diabetes or pre-diabetes, fueling the costly health crisis. Most people with pre-diabetes are not aware that they have the condition.
Often, the first signs of insulin resistance show up in the mouth. That’s not surprising, considering that nearly 93% of all patients with periodontal disease are at higher risk for developing diabetes. Given what we know about the relationship between periodontal disease and diabetes—and now cancer—it’s never been more important for both medical and dental teams to be on the lookout for the earliest signs of pre-diabetes.
