Glucose Intolerance and Cancer Risk: A Community-Based Prospective Cohort Study in Shanghai, China.

BACKGROUND

Cancer becomes the leading cause of premature death in China. Primary objective of this study was to determine the major risk factors especially glucose intolerance for cancer prophylaxis.

METHODS

A cluster sampling method was applied to enroll 10,657 community-based adults aged 15-92 years in Shanghai, China in 2013. A structured questionnaire and physical examination were applied in baseline survey. Prediabetes was diagnosed using 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. After excluding 1433 subjects including 224 diagnosed with cancer before and 1 year after baseline survey, the remaining 9,224 subjects were followed-up to December 31, 2020.

RESULTS

A total of 502 new cancer cases were diagnosed. The cancer incidence was 10.29, 9.20, and 5.95/1,000 person-years in diabetes patients, those with prediabetes, and healthy participants, respectively (<0.001). The multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that age, prediabetes and diabetes, were associated with an increased risk of cancer in those <65 years, the hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for prediabetes and diabetes were, 1.49(1.09-2.02) and 1.51(1.12-2.02), respectively. Glucose intolerance (prediabetes and diabetes) were associated with increased risks of stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, and kidney cancer in those <65 years. Anti-diabetic medications reduced the risk of cancer caused by diabetes. The multivariate Cox analysis showed that age, male, <9 years of education, and current smoking were associated with increased risks of cancer in those ≥65 years independently.

CONCLUSIONS

Glucose intolerance is the prominent cancer risk factor in adults <65 years. Lifestyle intervention and medications to treat glucose intolerance help prevent cancer in this population.