Experts Reach Consensus On Diabetes And Cancer Links

US experts who reviewed the emerging evidence on the links between cancer and diabetes have reported their findings in a consensus statement on the state of science linking both diseases and highlighted key questions that remain unanswered.

You can read the consensus report by experts representing the American Diabetes Association and the American Cancer Society, in the 16 June online before print issue of CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians; the print version will appear in the July/August paper edition.

Some evidence suggests that people with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing many types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes and cancer share some risk factors as well as treatments; however, the underlying biology of this overlap is somewhat elusive.

This gap in understanding spurred the American Diabetes Association and the American Cancer Society to bring together experts to address some key questions, for instance, what risk factors are common to both cancer and diabetes, is there a meaningful link between their incidence and prognosis, what might the underlying biological mechanisms be, and do treatments for diabetes affect cancer risk and prognosis?

The experts were asked to investigate each question, identify current gaps in evidence and suggest future strategies so researchers and epidemiologists can work toward closing the gaps. Read more