Pancreatic Cancer and Diabetes Mellitus

Overview

Background.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between Pancreatic Cancer and Type 2Diabetes Mellitus, which represents a higher risk of many human tumors. In patients with Pancreatic Cancer, Type2 Diabetes Mellitus occurs approximately in 30 %.Method and Results. Fifty patients with newly diagnosed Pancreatic Cancer were analysed in a retrospective pilotstudy where the staging of the tumor and the case history of the patients were studied. This data were compared inthree groups of patients: the control group without diabetes, one with Impaired Fasting Glucose, and patients withDiabetes Mellitus. Incidence of DiabetesMellitus and that of Impaired FastingGlucose were also followed in patientswith Pancreatic Cancer and Colorectal Cancer. The retrospective study confirmed the late diagnosis of PancreaticCancer. The tumors were actually in clinical stage IV in 50 % of the patients. Diabetes Mellitus was present in 34 %of patients with Pancreatic Cancer; in 44 % of these patients the Impaired Fasting Glucose was also diagnosed whilethe normal glucose status was seen in 22 % of patients. Incidence of Impaired Fasting Glucose and that of DiabetesMellitus in groups of patients with Pancreatic Cancer and Colorectal Cancer was studied. Diabetes Mellitus waspresent in 12,5 % patients with Colorectal Cancer.Conclusions. In spite of modern diagnostic methods, the early diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer remains a greatproblem. Incidence of Diabetes Mellitus in patients with Pancreatic Cancer was significantly higher in comparisonwith the Colorectal Cancer group (P0,01). A significant number of patients with Impaired Fasting Glucose were alsopresent in the group with Pancreatic Cancer. Analysis of the relationships between Pancreatic Cancer and ImpairedGlucose Metabolism could contribute to the early diagnosis of this serious malignant disease.

Key words:
pancreatic cancer, diabetes mellitus, impaired fasting glucose, staging of the tumor, colorectalcancer.