by Bryant Furlow
epiNewswire
August 26, 2007—Women with diabetes face
increased cancer risks, suggest two meta-
analyses. Researchers from the Karolinska
Institute in Stockholm, Sweden and Harvard
University report that their meta-analysis of data
from 16 studies of endometrial cancer risk among
diabetics supports a connection between the two
diseases. The researchers found that diabetic
women face roughly twice the risk of endometrial
cancers, which occur in the lining of the uterus,
as do non-diabetic women.
Most (16) of the studies from which the authors
gathered data involved patients with Type 2
diabetes. The risk of endometrial cancers for
patients with Type 1 diabetes was stronger than
the overall association; Type 1 diabetics were
estimated to face more than three times the risk
of endometrial cancers as non-diabetics, but this
estimate was based on data from only three
studies.
A separate meta-analysis, also conducted by
researchers at the Karolinska Institute and
Harvard, pooled data for 20 studies of diabetics'
breast cancer risks. Team reports that diabetic
women face a 20 percent greater risk of
developing breast cancer than do non-diabetics.
The endometrial cancer risk meta-analyses were
published in the July issue of the medical
research journal Diabetologia. The breast
cancer meta-analysis was published in August in
the International Journal of Cancer.
epiNewswire
August 26, 2007—Women with diabetes face
increased cancer risks, suggest two meta-
analyses. Researchers from the Karolinska
Institute in Stockholm, Sweden and Harvard
University report that their meta-analysis of data
from 16 studies of endometrial cancer risk among
diabetics supports a connection between the two
diseases. The researchers found that diabetic
women face roughly twice the risk of endometrial
cancers, which occur in the lining of the uterus,
as do non-diabetic women.
Most (16) of the studies from which the authors
gathered data involved patients with Type 2
diabetes. The risk of endometrial cancers for
patients with Type 1 diabetes was stronger than
the overall association; Type 1 diabetics were
estimated to face more than three times the risk
of endometrial cancers as non-diabetics, but this
estimate was based on data from only three
studies.
A separate meta-analysis, also conducted by
researchers at the Karolinska Institute and
Harvard, pooled data for 20 studies of diabetics'
breast cancer risks. Team reports that diabetic
women face a 20 percent greater risk of
developing breast cancer than do non-diabetics.
The endometrial cancer risk meta-analyses were
published in the July issue of the medical
research journal Diabetologia. The breast
cancer meta-analysis was published in August in
the International Journal of Cancer.
| Further reading Friberg, E, et al. 2007. Diabetes mellitus and risk of endometrial cancer: a meta-analysis. Diabetologia,50(7): 1365-1374. Larsson, SC, et al. 2007. Diabetes melliutus and risk of breast cancer: a meta-analysis. International Journal of Cancer, 121(4): 856-862. |
Meta-analyses link risks for cancers of the breast, uterine lining to diabetes
Diabetes
Diabetes linked to higher cancer risks in women
Statistical details Endometrial cancers and diabetes: Source data for the meta-analysis: 16 studies (13 case-control studies and 3 cohort studies, representing 96,003 study participants, 7,596 with endometrial cancers) Summary risk ratio (RR) = 2.10 (95% confidence intervals: 1.75-2.53) RR for Type 1 diabetes only (3 studies): 3.15 (CI:1.07-9.29) RR for case-control studies only: 2.22 (CI: 1.8,2.74) RR for cohort studies only: 1.62 (CI: 1.21-2.16) RR for studies adjusting only for age: 2.74 (CI: 1.87,4) RR for studies adjusting for multiple variables: 1.92 (CI:1.58,2.33) Breast cancer and diabetes: Summary risk ratio (RR) = 1.20 (95% CI: 1.12-1.28) |
