Study Links Pre-Diabetes to 15% Increased Cancer Risk
A new study on diabetes, published in Diabetologia, shows a link between high blood sugar levels defined as pre-diabetes, and an increased risk of developing cancer.
According to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control, one in three Americans aged 20 or older are considered to have pre-diabetes. Between 15% and 30% of those with pre-diabetes will develop Type 2 diabetes in the next 5 years; however, the CDC suggested that as much as 90% of those with pre-diabetes have no idea they have the condition.
This most recent study was a meta-analysis of data from 16 studies and almost 900,000 patients. Researchers who combed through the data determined that patients with pre-diabetes had a 15% increased chance of developing cancer, particularly cancers of the stomach, liver, pancreas, breast, and endometrium.
The study did not find a link between pre-diabetes and an increased risk of developing cancers of the prostate, ovary, kidney, lung, or bladder. However, some Type 2 diabetes medications, particularly Actos and Avandia, have been linked to an increased risk of developing bladder cancer, which creates concern over how best to treat patients with pre-diabetes beyond diet and exercise.
“Considering the high prevalence of prediabetes, as well as the robust and significant association between prediabetes and cancer demonstrated in our study, successful intervention in this large population could have a major public health impact,” study leader Yuli Huang, a professor from the First People’s Hospital of Shunde District, China, and colleagues said in a journal news release.
One Type 2 diabetes drug – metformin – was found to help protect against these types of cancer in the study. “Notably, metformin mediates an approximately 30 percent reduction in the lifetime risk of cancer in diabetic patients,” the researchers said in the news release.
The researchers noted that further studies should be conducted into the effectiveness of metformin when used to protect pre-diabetics and Type 2 diabetes patients against cancer.
Type 2 Diabetes Drug Actos Causes Numerous Problems
Actos is a brand-name drug developed by Japanese pharmaceutical manufacturer Takeda, and distributed in the US by Eli Lilly. Both companies lost a major Actos lawsuit recently, which alleged that the companies both failed to warn of the risk of cancer from taking Actos, and in Takeda’s case, that the company intentionally destroyed documents from studies linking Actos to an increased risk of bladder cancer.
Actos has been under review by the Food and Drug Administration since 2010. The drug has been linked to an increased risk of bladder cancer, specifically, in numerous studies, but has been linked to other health issues as well, including an increased risk of diabetic macular edema, liver failure, and irregular heart beat.
The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Cases, Including Against Actos
If you or a loved one have taken Actos to treat Type 2 diabetes, and have since suffered dangerous side effects including developing bladder cancer, heart disease, liver failure, or diabetic macular edema, you may be entitled to compensation. The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm can help with personal injury cases, including against Actos manufacturer Takeda Pharmaceuticals. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so do not hesitate to contact us. 803.252.4800
