Diabetes May Increase Death Risk from Cancer Among Asians by 26%

Type 2 diabetes is caused when pancreas stops producing enough insulin leaving the body without enough insulin to function normally. As if diabetes' effect on blood pressure, cholesterol and heart wasn't enough, a recent study comes as a startling one, especially for Asians. The study suggests that Type 2 diabetes is linked with a 26 percent increase in the risk of death from cancers of either thyroid, kidney, liver and prostate amongst Asians. Previous research has already stated that at any point of Body Mass Index, Asians are more susceptible to insulin resistance and thereby diabetes when compared to their European counterparts.The study is especially alarming, because Diabetes is currently one of the top diseases India is fighting against in large numbers. More than 69.1 million people in India are estimated to be affected with Type 2 diabetes alone and about 1 million deaths per year in India are attributable to the Type 2 diabetes.The findings based on 7 Asian countries, including India highlighted the increased risk of dying from any form of cancer even when taking account of factors like alcohol consumption, smoking and BMI.Yu Chen, Associate Professor at the New York University School of Medicine highlighted the great risk factor amongst Asians, "especially for liver cancer which has a high incidence in Asians," he added.The study showed some statistically alarming links between Type 2 diabetes and the risk of death from cancers of, pancreas, bile duct, colorectum and breast. The strongest of the association observed for cancers of liver, thyroid and kidney and endometrium(2.7 times increased risk) and breast (1.7 times increased risk).The team analysed a population of 658,611 east Asians out of which 112,686 South Asians were from India, Bangladesh, China, Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea and Japan.Earlier, according a to a paper published online in the journal Cancer. Individuals with Type 2 diabetes may be at an increased risk of developing cancer before and immediately after their diagnosis. The findings showed that the highest risk appears shortly after a diabetes diagnosisDiabetes can be prevented with a certain lifestyle changes like reduced drinking and smoking. Similarly, diet and exercise interventions have also been shown to reduce cancer risk and improve its outcomes in the general population, the researchers suggested.