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The association between diabetes and breast cancer stage at diagnosis: a population-based study

Breast Cancer Research and Treatment volume 150, pages 613–620 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

Women with diabetes have higher breast cancer incidence and mortality. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of diabetes on stage at breast cancer diagnosis, as a possible reason for their higher mortality. Using population-based health databases from Ontario, Canada, this retrospective cohort study examined stage at diagnosis (II, III, or IV vs I) among women aged 20–105 years who were newly diagnosed with invasive breast cancer between 2007 and 2012. We compared those with diabetes to those without diabetes. Diabetes was defined based on medical records using a validated algorithm. Among 38,407 women with breast cancer, 6115 (15.9 %) women had diabetes. Breast cancer patients with diabetes were significantly more likely to present with advanced-stage breast cancer than those without diabetes. After adjustment for mammograms and other covariates, diabetes was associated with a significantly increased risk of Stage II [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.14, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.07, 1.22], Stage III (aOR 1.21, 95 % CI 1.11, 1.33), and Stage IV (aOR 1.16, 95 % CI 1.01, 1.33) versus Stage I breast cancer. Women with diabetes had a higher risk of lymph node metastases (aOR 1.16, 95 % CI 1.06, 1.27) and tumors with size over 2 cm (aOR 1.16, 95 % CI 1.06, 1.28). Diabetes was associated with more advanced-stage breast cancer, even after accounting for differences in screening mammogram use and other factors. Our findings suggest that diabetes may predispose to more aggressive breast cancer, which may be a contributor to their higher cancer mortality.

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Acknowledgments

Dr. Lipscombe is supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) New Investigator Award. Dr. Peter Austin is supported in part by a Career Investigator award from the Heart and Stroke Foundation. This study was conducted with the support from a CIHR operating Grant (MOP#123263), and from the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research and Cancer Care Ontario. This study was supported by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), which is funded by an annual Grant from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC). The design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; and preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript were the responsibilities of the authors. No endorsement by ICES or the Ontario MOHLTC is intended or should be inferred. Parts of this material are based on data and information provided by Cancer Care Ontario. However, the analysis, conclusions, opinions and statements expressed herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Cancer Care Ontario. Dr. Lipscombe had full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. The authors would like to thank Lauren McNicol, MA, Women’s College Research Institute, for help with manuscript preparation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Women’s College Research Institute, Women’s College Hospital, 790 Bay St, Room 741, Toronto, ON, M5G 1N8, Canada

    Lorraine L. Lipscombe, Ophira Ginsburg, Paula A. Rochon & Steven Narod

  2. Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    Lorraine L. Lipscombe, Ophira Ginsburg, Paula A. Rochon & Steven Narod

  3. Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Toronto, Canada

    Lorraine L. Lipscombe, Hadas D. Fischer, Peter C. Austin, Longdi Fu, R. Liisa Jaakkimainen, Paula A. Rochon & Lawrence Paszat

  4. Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    Lorraine L. Lipscombe, Peter C. Austin, Ophira Ginsburg, Paula A. Rochon & Lawrence Paszat

  5. Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    R. Liisa Jaakkimainen

  6. Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada

    R. Liisa Jaakkimainen & Lawrence Paszat

Authors
  1. Lorraine L. Lipscombe
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  2. Hadas D. Fischer
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  3. Peter C. Austin
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  4. Longdi Fu
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  7. Paula A. Rochon
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  8. Steven Narod
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  9. Lawrence Paszat
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Correspondence to Lorraine L. Lipscombe.

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Lipscombe, L.L., Fischer, H.D., Austin, P.C. et al. The association between diabetes and breast cancer stage at diagnosis: a population-based study. Breast Cancer Res Treat 150, 613–620 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-015-3323-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-015-3323-5

Keywords

  • Diabetes
  • Breast cancer
  • Stage at diagnosis
  • Administrative databases