Scientists reveal disease that can double risk of death from some cancers

Researchers from the Leicester Diabetes Research Centre have found that having type 2 diabetes more than doubles the chance of dying from some cancers.

According to the Diabetologia journal, more than 137,000 people were included in the study. On average, each participant was followed for about eight years.

Researchers found that between 1998 and 2018, overall mortality decreased for all age groups. Deaths from type 2 diabetes, however, rose.

The study found that the risk of dying from cancer overall was 18% higher in the presence of type 2 diabetes. The death rate was 9% higher for breast cancer and 2.4 times higher for colorectal cancer.

Some types of cancer have previously been shown to be associated with type 2 diabetes. These are cancers of the liver, pancreas and endometrium. For these types of tumours, the risk of death was twice as high in the presence of diabetes.

The study also noted a 4.1% annual increase in breast cancer mortality among young women with type 2 diabetes.

Scientists believe that long-term exposure to high blood sugar and insulin levels, insulin resistance and chronic inflammation can cause some cancers and potentially make others more deadly.

The authors of the paper warn that the number of deaths could rise sharply unless further action is taken to tackle the obesity epidemic, which is also linked to the rising incidence of type 2 diabetes. The disease has previously been seen mainly as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.