Prostate Cancer: What It Is and Who It Affects

By Amy Campbell First, the bad news. Research tells us that Type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for several types of cancer, including breast, endometrial, colorectal, liver, and pancreatic cancer. Knowledge of the link between cancer and diabetes is actually nothing new. Back in 1910, a biostatistician made the connection between diabetes and cancer. More recently, studies have shown that diabetes does indeed increase cancer risk, likely, in part, due to the incidence of overweight and obesity, not-so-healthy food choices, and lack of sufficient physical activity (all modifiable risk factors, by the way). Now, for the somewhat good news. The risk of prostate cancer does not appear to be influenced by Type 2 diabetes. In fact, the risk of this cancer in men with Type 2 appears to be lower than in men without diabetes. However, men with diabetes are not off the hook that easily — one study of men who had both prostate cancer and diabetes found that those who had higher A1C levels had a more aggressive type of prostate cancer. The researchers didn't find a link between level of glucose control and the chance of the cancer spreading or recurring. What is the prostate? Prostate cancer obviously only occurs in men, as men have prostate glands (and women do not!). The prostate gland is about the size of a walnut and sits in front of the rectum and below the bladder. The prostate makes some of the fluid that nourishes sperm; the rest of the fluid is made by glands called seminal...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - Category: Diabetes Authors: Source Type: blogs