Type II diabetes will not lead to more aggressive prostate cancer, but it could lead to a lower long-term survival rate. New research from the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia contradicts previous findings about prostate cancer and diabetes.
Previous studies revealed insulin may make prostate cancer cells grow more aggressively. Diabetes is a condition that can lead to excessive amounts of insulin in the blood.
Researchers studied 1,512 men with localized protate cancer treated with radiation therapy between April 1989 and October 2001. Of these, 206 men had diabetes. Investigators found there was no significant difference between the aggressiveness of the cancers in men with and without diabetes.
However, researchers reported a significantly higher overall mortality rate for the men with diabetes. They say their study does not lead to the conclusion that insulin levels have an impact on prostate cancer cells. They do say the higher overall mortality rate points to the importance of proper management of diabetes.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/
SOURCE: The 47th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology in Denver, Oct. 16-20, 2005