Friday July 25, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- Evidence shows that patients with diabetes mellitus are at higher risk for developing cancer.   A new study finds that people with diabetes mellitus are also at higher risk for head and neck cancer and other types of cancer.

The study reveals that the incidence of head and neck cancer was 1.5 times higher among patients who had diabetes mellitus, compared with controls who were free of the disease.

The study was based on data from 89,089 patients with newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus and controls who did not have diabetes mellitus related medical condition with patients and controls matched fro comorbidities including obesity, coronary artery disease, hypertension and high cholesterol), gender, and age.  All patients and controls were followed until Dec 31, 2011 or the date of death.

The study also finds that diabetes mellitus patients were75%, 53% and 40% more likely to develop oral cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma, respectively, compared with  controls free of diabetes mellitus.

Nearly 30 million Americans live with diabetes mellitus and another 30 million men and women in the United States with pre-diabetes.  Doctors say there is no cure for the disease and drugs are available to manage the disease.

Research has shown that diabetes mellitus, particularly type 2 diabetes mellitus can be easily prevented by taking some supplements such as curcumin, cinnamon, bitter melon, spirulina, and more than 30 types of other herbs and alternative medicines.  (David Liu)

Tseng KS, Lin C, Lin YS, Weng SF.  Risk of Head and Neck Cancer in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus: A Retrospective Cohort Study in Taiwan.  JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2014 Jul 24:1-8.