Abstract
Epidemiologic studies have proposed a link between obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. The pathophysiologic mechanisms involved in the development of type 2 diabetes, namely hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance, have also been implicated in cancer development. Patients with type 2 diabetes are reported to have a worse response to cancer chemotherapy, have more complications, and have a poorer prognosis than patients with cancer without diabetes. Studies also have reported that insulin, insulin secretagogues, and metformin may have effects on tumor growth. Given the escalating worldwide prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes, their relationship to cancer has generated great interest and research across many fields of medicine.
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Abbreviations
- CPS II:
-
Cancer Prevention Study II
- EPIC:
-
European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition
- NECSS:
-
National Enhanced Cancer Surveillance System
- NHANES III:
-
Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
- WHI:
-
Women’s Health Initiative
- ZODIAC-16:
-
Zwolle Outpatient Diabetes Project Integrating Available Care 16.
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Disclosure
Dr. Derek LeRoith has been a consultant/speaker for Sanofi-Aventis, Takeda, Merck, and Bristol-Myers Squibb/AstraZeneca. No other potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.
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Gallagher, E.J., LeRoith, D. Insulin, Insulin Resistance, Obesity, and Cancer. Curr Diab Rep 10, 93–100 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-010-0101-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-010-0101-y