Abstract
The alarming rise in incidence of malignancies, type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity in recent decades has led to increased interest in the understanding of possible contexts. For type 2 diabetes mellitus and a number of oncological diseases, some common risk factors have been identified, mainly related to the current lifestyle.
Mechanisms leading to the development of malignant tumors in diabetics are not entirely clear; long-term hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, elevated insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), adipose tissue dysfunction and chronic subclinical inflammation are anticipated. Up to 90% of type 2 diabetics are obese.
Obesity is a risk factor for some tumors, regardless of the presence of diabetes. Epidemiological studies have shown that type 2 diabetes mellitus is a disease associated with an increased incidence of some solid and hematological tumors.
These are malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, namely liver, pancreas and colorectal, bladder and kidney, and some types of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in both sexes. In women, the incidence of breast and endometrial cancer is increased.
The risk of prostate cancer in diabetic men is, on the contrary, slightly lower compared to the normal population, probably due to lower levels of testosterone. It has also been shown that diabetes is a negative prognostic factor in patients with pre-existing cancer.
Diabetes mellitus increases mortality in malignant diseases, mainly due to impaired tolerance of anti-cancer therapy, including postoperative complications.