Association between type 2 diabetes and cancer incidence in China: data in hospitalized patients from 2006 to 2013

BACKGROUND: Evidence of a role for type 2 diabetes in overall cancer risk is limited in ethnic Chinese populations. We therefore investigated whether there is an association between diabetes and cancer incidence. METHODS: All type 2 diabetes and cancer hospitalized patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between 2006.01 and 2013.12 were eligible for the study. Our research used healthcare information technology and statistical methods to analyze the clinical data of hospitalized patients and explored the relationship between diabetes and cancer. Participants with fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL, or taking hypoglycemic medications, were classed as having type 2 diabetes. Cancer incidence was established through regular follow-up interviews and medical records. Data were entered into Excel and a database was set up with ACCESS software. Clinical information such as demographics like gender, age, occupation, marriage, insurance and etc., diagnoses, and prescription record were chosen and analyzed. SPSS software was also used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The number of patients with both diabetes and cancer rose from 220 cases in 2006 to 1,623 cases in 2013. The proportion of cancer patients with diabetes has also increased every year. Younger participants (aged ≤50 years) with diabetes had a greater risk of all cancers [P<0.005, odds ratio (OR) >3.4]. And cancer patients with diabetes occurs more frequently in male patients than in female patients, especially since 2009 the proportion has increased more evidently (P<0.005, OR >1.4). Further analysis showed that the level of blood lipid in patients with diabetes mellitus and cancer was significantly different from that in patients with simple diabetes mellitus (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results clearly demonstrate a positive association between diabetes and cancer, especially in younger individuals aged less than 50 years. This finding highlights a need for greater awareness among public health workers and physicians of the importance of effective control of diabetes in the younger population.