Friday Dec 20, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study in International Journal of Cancer suggests that type 2 diabetes mellitus may increase risk of certain cancers in Asian people.

Fung-Chang Sung from China Medical University in Taichung, Taiwan and colleagues conducted the study and found higher risk of cancers of the liver, pancreas, and uterus and corpus.

Early studies in most cases focused on the association between type 2 diabetes mellitus and risk of certain cancers in Caucasian populations.

The current study based on data from a nationwide database maintained by the National Health Research Institute in Taiwan shows the overall cancer risk was 19% higher in people suffering type 2 diabetes mellitus compared with those without the condition.

The study also finds a higher risk of cancers in several organs in the digestive and urogenital systems in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.  Specifically, in type 2 diabetes mellitus, the risk of liver cancer, pancreatic cancer and cancers in the uterus and corpus were increased by 78%, 52% and 38% respectively.

Additionally, the cancer risk was found to increase with age.  In men with diabetes mellitus type 2, the risk was can be increased by 676%.  Or elderly diabetics were nearly 8 times as likely to develop cancer as those who did not have the disease.

The increase in risk of several types of cancer in Asian people associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus was found similar to that found in Caucasian population.

Carcinogenic biomarkers are found high in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. These toxic compounds can damage cellular components including DNA leading to mutations which are believed to be the fundamental cause of carcinogenesis or cancer development.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus can be easily prevented.  Studies have suggested curcumin, bitter melon, spirulina and cinnamon are effective in preventing or treating type 2 diabetes mellitus. (DL)