Abnormal glucose metabolism linked to cancer risk

Fasting and postload plasma glucose concentrations were available for 33293 women and 31304 men from the Vasterbotten Intervention Project in Sweden, and a total of 2478 incident cases of cancer were identified in this patient population. With rising plasma levels of fasting and postload glucose, total cancer risk in women increased, up to a relative risk (RR) for the top versus bottom quartile of 1.26 (P<0.001) and 1.31 (P=0.001). For men, corresponding RR were 1.08 (P=0.25) and 0.98 (P=0.99). The risk of site-specific cancers (pancreas, endometrium, urinary tract, and malignant melanoma) was statistically significantly associated with high fasting glucose with RRs of 2.49 (P=0.006), 1.86 (P=0.02), 1.69 (P=0.049), and 2.16 (P=0.01), respectively. These risks estimates were not affected by adjustments for body mass index and thus independent of obesity.

Abstract