Compared with non-diabetic people, people with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk
of developing a wide range of common tumors and also have a poorer prognosis [
[1]
]. Both obesity and the metabolic syndrome, two disorders strongly linked with and
major risk factors for type 2 diabetes, are associated with an increased risk of malignant
disease in both sexes (Giugliano et al., unpublished data [
2
,
3
]). Although it has been shown since 2005 that diabetes is associated with an increased
risk of colorectal cancer (30% increased risk) and pancreas cancer (82% increased
risk) compared with the non-diabetic population [
4
,
5
], this relationship attracted relatively little attention among diabetes researchers
and health care providers, whose focus has been on the dominant role of cardiovascular
disease. Ironically, the awakening of the clinical relevance of the link between diabetes
and cancer was generated by safety concerns associated with the use of some diabetes
medications, in particular in 2009 with the publication of a series of observational
reports suggesting an association between insulin glargine and a possible increase
in tumor risk [
6
,
7
,
8
,
9
]. However these reports stimulated considerable debate among diabetes clinicians,
oncologists, and epidemiologists, leading to the issuing of a consensus report from
the American Cancer Society and the American Diabetes Association [
[10]
]. A number of epidemiological studies and meta-analyses have tried to shed more light
on this topic, with conflicting results. Large population-based studies failed to
confirm an association between insulin glargine and malignancy risk in general [
[11]
]. On the other hand, several analyses were unable to rule out the possibility of an
increased risk of breast cancer among women treated with glargine, in comparison with
users of human insulin [
US Food and Drug Administration: FDA Drug Safety Communication: update to ongoing safety review of Lantus (insulin glargine) and possible risk of cancer. Available from: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm239376.htm [accessed 19.03.12].
12
,
13
].- Ruiter R.
- Visser L.E.
- van Herk-Sukel M.P.
- Coebergh J.W.
- Haak H.R.
- Geelhoed-Duijvestijn P.H.
- et al.
Risk of cancer in patients on insulin glargine and other insulin analogues in comparison
with those on human insulin: results from a large population-based follow-up study.
Diabetologia. 2012; 55: 51-62
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 04, 2012
Accepted:
April 5,
2012
Received:
April 5,
2012
Identification
Copyright
© 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
