The Healio article, based on a study published in JAMA Network Open, reveals a significant association between type 2 diabetes and an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC). The study, which focused on a cohort over-representing African Americans and low-income patients, found that individuals with type 2 diabetes had a 47% higher risk of developing CRC.
Key takeaways from the study include:
Increased Risk with Diabetes: Patients with type 2 diabetes showed a notably higher risk of CRC, especially those with recent diabetes diagnoses and those who had not undergone colonoscopy screening.
Importance of Preventive Screening: The study underscores the critical role of colonoscopy screening in potentially reducing the increased CRC risk among individuals with diabetes.
Study Population and Methodology: The Southern Community Cohort Study in the United States, which recruited participants from 2002 to 2009, was used for this research. It included about 85,000 participants, primarily African American and low-income individuals, with a focus on those with more than 2 years of follow-up and no prior cancer diagnosis other than nonmelanoma skin cancer.
Results and Implications: The study observed that 289 out of 25,992 participants with diabetes developed CRC, compared to 197 out of 28,605 without diabetes. This association was particularly strong among those without recent colonoscopy and those with a smoking history.
The findings highlight the importance of diabetes prevention and control in potentially reducing CRC disparities and emphasize the need for increased CRC screening, especially among those newly diagnosed with diabetes.