Abstract

The incidence of cancer is increased in patients with diabetes mellitus. Numerous epidemiological studies confirm this phenomenon, specifically with malignancies of the pancreas, liver, bile ducts, uterus, kidney, breast in postmenopausal women, colon, bladder and aggressive forms of prostate cancer. Disruption of homeostatic glucose metabolism may play a significant role in malignant cellular transformation and disease progression. Additionally, recent advances in molecular and biochemical technology allow for deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of disrupted glucose-insulin axis pathways in diabetics at the subcellular level. These technological advances may provide answers as to how malignant cellular transformation occurs and identify potential treatment targets.

Keywords: Carcinogenesis, diabetes, hyperglycemia, inflammation, insulin resistance, obesity.