Association Between Diagnosed Diabetes and Self-Reported Cancer Among U.S. Adults: Findings from the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between diagnosed diabetes and self-reported cancer among U.S. adults. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We analyzed data for 397,783 adults who participated in the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and had valid data on diabetes and cancer. RESULTS: After adjustment for potential confounders, diabetic men had higher adjusted prevalence ratios for cancers of the prostate (1.1 [95% CI 1.0–1.3]), colon (1.3 [1.0–1.7]), pancreas (4.6 [1.8–11.7]), rectum (2.2 [1.0–4.7]), urinary bladder (1.7 [1.2–2.2]), and kidney (1.9 [1.2–3.0]) than nondiabetic men (all P < 0.05). Diabetic women had higher adjusted prevalence ratios for cancers of the breast (1.1 [1.0–1.3]) and endometrium (1.6 [1.2–2.0]), and leukemia (2.3 [1.3–4.2]) than nondiabetic women (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that diabetic adults have higher prevalences of certain cancers than nondiabetic adults.