Type 2 Diabetes and Colorectal Cancer Risk

The study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, included 54,000 adults, 66 per cent of whom were African American and 53 per cent of whom had incomes of less than $15,000 per year. The study of predominantly low-income and African-American individuals highlighted that people who have Type 2 Diabetes had a 47 per cent increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine).

Researchers said the association between Diabetes and colorectal cancer was even more pronounced among people who lacked recent colonoscopy screenings and those who had a more recent Diabetes diagnoses. Excess fat and inflammation are triggers for both diseases and fat deposits can lead to the start of tumor growth while forming insulin resistance, leading to both cancer and Type 2 Diabetes.

To lower their risk of colorectal cancer, people with Type 2 Diabetes should get their blood glucose levels under control. Lifestyle choices can also raise or lower the risk of developing colorectal cancer. Factors such as poor diet, increased weight, and lack of exercise, for instance, are strongly linked to colorectal cancer.

The New England Journal of Medicine, 2023