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Australian Diabetes Society &
Australian Diabetes Educators Association
Annual Scientific Meeting
(ADS ADEA ASM 2011)
31 August – 2 September 2011
Media Release
Embargoed: 31 August 2011
Type 2 diabetes doubles bowel cancer
risk in Australian men – study
A major Australian study has for the first time established a significant link between type 2 diabetes and the risk of bowel cancer in men.1
The 11 year study involving almost 1,300 people with type 2 diabetes found that men with the lifestyle-related condition were twice as likely to develop potentially fatal bowel cancer as their diabetes-free peers.1
Researchers who conducted the ‘Cancer and Diabetes in Australia’ Fremantle Diabetes Study described the results as “highly significant” and said that they should prompt doctors to screen type 2 diabetes patients who are at heighten risk of for bowel cancer.
“On the strength of these results, doctors should consider lowering the screening threshold for these patients,” said Professor Tim Davis, Professor of Medicine at the University of Western Australia. “Checking for faecal blood is one option but a colonoscopy is far more thorough and could become an integral part of diabetes management.”
While the study revealed an increased risk of all cancers in both men and women with type 2 diabetes, it was the two-fold increase in bowel cancer among men with type 2 diabetes that alarmed researchers.
Presenting the results of the study at the Australian Diabetes Society and Australian Diabetes Educators Association Annual Scientific Meeting in Perth today, Professor Davis said that around one in 12 Australians will be diagnosed with bowel cancer before they reach the age of 85 but the risk of developing the condition doubled for men with type 2 diabetes.1,2
“When detected early 90 per cent of bowel cancer cases can be treated successfully.2 Unfortunately the condition is often not diagnosed until it reaches an advanced stage and is now Australia’s second leading cancer killer,” he added.3
The rate of bowel cancer across the country has risen steadily over the past 25 years along with the incidence of type 2 diabetes.4
An estimated 1.6 million Australians aged over 25 years are thought to have type 2 diabetes while the number of people diagnosed with bowel cancer has nearly doubled from 8,000 in 1986 to more than 14,000 in 2007.3-5
While the ‘Cancer and Diabetes in Australia’ study established a link between type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer, Professor Davis said more research was needed to explain the existence of the link.
“It might be that the risk factors for the two conditions, including obesity, are the same and that they develop independently of each other or it may be that factors associated with diabetes trigger bowel cancer,” Professor Davis said.
“These results clearly highlight the need for further research in this area,” he concluded.
Ends#
For further Meeting information or to organise an interview with Professor Davis please contact Mairead McLaughlin from Ethical Strategies on 0405 951 572 or mmclaughlin@ethicalstrategies.com.au.
References:
1. T. M. E. Davis et al. Cancer and Diabetes in Australia: The Fremantle Diabetes Study.
2. Bowel Cancer Australia. Your Choices Fact Sheet. Available at: www.bowelcanceraustralia.org.
3. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare & Australasian Association of Cancer Registries 2010. Cancer in Australia: in brief 2010. Cancer series no. 59. Cat. no. CAN 55. Canberra: AIHW.
4. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2010. Australia’s health 2010. Australia’s health series no. 12. Cat. no. AUS 122. Canberra: AIHW.
5. Chadban S et al. National Evidence Based Guideline for Diagnosis, Prevention and Management of Chronic Kidney Disease in Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Australia and the NHMRC, Canberra 2009.
About the ADS (Australian Diabetes Society)
The ADS is the peak medical and scientific body in Australia working towards improved care and outcomes for people with diabetes. The association’s members include medical graduates and scientist with an interest in diabetes as well as those with a primary role in professional diabetes care.
Ways in which the ADS strives to enhance the welfare of individuals who have diabetes include the dissemination of the latest developments in the treatment and management of diabetes to its members; developing in association with Diabetes Australia and other interested bodies, education methods designed to give those who have diabetes mellitus a better understanding of their condition.
For further information about the ADS visit www.diabetessociety.com.au.
About the ADEA (Australian Diabetes Educators Association)
The ADEA is the leading Australian organisation for health professionals who provide diabetes education and care. There are more than 900 credentialed diabetes educators working across public and private practices and hospitals in Australia.
The association actively promotes evidenced-based diabetes education to ensure optimal health and wellbeing for those affected by and/or at risk of diabetes and sets standards and develops guidelines for the practice of diabetes education.
The ADEA also offers professional development programs and accredits those developed by other organisation.
For further information about the ADEA visit www.adea.com.au.
Australian Diabetes Society &
Australian Diabetes Educators Association
Annual Scientific Meeting
(ADS ADEA ASM 2011)
31 August – 2 September 2011
Media Release
Embargoed: 31 August 2011
Type 2 diabetes doubles bowel cancer
risk in Australian men – study
A major Australian study has for the first time established a significant link between type 2 diabetes and the risk of bowel cancer in men.1
The 11 year study involving almost 1,300 people with type 2 diabetes found that men with the lifestyle-related condition were twice as likely to develop potentially fatal bowel cancer as their diabetes-free peers.1
Researchers who conducted the ‘Cancer and Diabetes in Australia’ Fremantle Diabetes Study described the results as “highly significant” and said that they should prompt doctors to screen type 2 diabetes patients who are at heighten risk of for bowel cancer.
“On the strength of these results, doctors should consider lowering the screening threshold for these patients,” said Professor Tim Davis, Professor of Medicine at the University of Western Australia. “Checking for faecal blood is one option but a colonoscopy is far more thorough and could become an integral part of diabetes management.”
While the study revealed an increased risk of all cancers in both men and women with type 2 diabetes, it was the two-fold increase in bowel cancer among men with type 2 diabetes that alarmed researchers.
Presenting the results of the study at the Australian Diabetes Society and Australian Diabetes Educators Association Annual Scientific Meeting in Perth today, Professor Davis said that around one in 12 Australians will be diagnosed with bowel cancer before they reach the age of 85 but the risk of developing the condition doubled for men with type 2 diabetes.1,2
“When detected early 90 per cent of bowel cancer cases can be treated successfully.2 Unfortunately the condition is often not diagnosed until it reaches an advanced stage and is now Australia’s second leading cancer killer,” he added.3
The rate of bowel cancer across the country has risen steadily over the past 25 years along with the incidence of type 2 diabetes.4
An estimated 1.6 million Australians aged over 25 years are thought to have type 2 diabetes while the number of people diagnosed with bowel cancer has nearly doubled from 8,000 in 1986 to more than 14,000 in 2007.3-5
While the ‘Cancer and Diabetes in Australia’ study established a link between type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer, Professor Davis said more research was needed to explain the existence of the link.
“It might be that the risk factors for the two conditions, including obesity, are the same and that they develop independently of each other or it may be that factors associated with diabetes trigger bowel cancer,” Professor Davis said.
“These results clearly highlight the need for further research in this area,” he concluded.
Ends#
For further Meeting information or to organise an interview with Professor Davis please contact Mairead McLaughlin from Ethical Strategies on 0405 951 572 or mmclaughlin@ethicalstrategies.com.au.
References:
1. T. M. E. Davis et al. Cancer and Diabetes in Australia: The Fremantle Diabetes Study.
2. Bowel Cancer Australia. Your Choices Fact Sheet. Available at: www.bowelcanceraustralia.org.
3. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare & Australasian Association of Cancer Registries 2010. Cancer in Australia: in brief 2010. Cancer series no. 59. Cat. no. CAN 55. Canberra: AIHW.
4. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2010. Australia’s health 2010. Australia’s health series no. 12. Cat. no. AUS 122. Canberra: AIHW.
5. Chadban S et al. National Evidence Based Guideline for Diagnosis, Prevention and Management of Chronic Kidney Disease in Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Australia and the NHMRC, Canberra 2009.
About the ADS (Australian Diabetes Society)
The ADS is the peak medical and scientific body in Australia working towards improved care and outcomes for people with diabetes. The association’s members include medical graduates and scientist with an interest in diabetes as well as those with a primary role in professional diabetes care.
Ways in which the ADS strives to enhance the welfare of individuals who have diabetes include the dissemination of the latest developments in the treatment and management of diabetes to its members; developing in association with Diabetes Australia and other interested bodies, education methods designed to give those who have diabetes mellitus a better understanding of their condition.
For further information about the ADS visit www.diabetessociety.com.au.
About the ADEA (Australian Diabetes Educators Association)
The ADEA is the leading Australian organisation for health professionals who provide diabetes education and care. There are more than 900 credentialed diabetes educators working across public and private practices and hospitals in Australia.
The association actively promotes evidenced-based diabetes education to ensure optimal health and wellbeing for those affected by and/or at risk of diabetes and sets standards and develops guidelines for the practice of diabetes education.
The ADEA also offers professional development programs and accredits those developed by other organisation.
For further information about the ADEA visit www.adea.com.au.
