Diabetes Raises Skin Cancer Risk

Take Home Message: Diabetes (=Diabetes Mellitus, DM) shown here to be a risk factor for Skin Cancer development. In patients over 60, DM is associated with a higher risk of developing skin cancers particularly Keratinocytic Carcinomas (formerly called NMSC) (Study from Taiwan)

Comments:

-DM incidence has reached epidemic proportions in affluent countries as well as in South East Asia

This is a retrospective study:

-there is a *45% increased relative risk (RR) of developing skin cancer. For keratinocyte carcinoma (fmr. NMSC) this increases to a *60% increase in RR

-when adjusting for age and sex the RR was +30% (Borderline significance) for skin cancer and 40%* respectively.

-To read more about skin problems associated with diabetes, click HERE 

*statistically significant. For melanoma, the results were not statistically significant

Abstract

-Background: An increasing evidence suggests that certain types of cancers are more common in people with diabetes mellitus (DM). However, the risk of skin cancers in patients with DM has seldom been explored in Taiwan.

–Method:In this retrospective cohort study using Longitudinal Health Insurance Research Database, the risks of all skin cancers, including non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC) and melanoma, were analyzed total 119 skin cancers in 41,898 patients newly diagnosed as having DM and those without DM-related medical claims matched for age, sex, index date, and comorbidities (obesity, coronary artery disease, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) by Poisson regression analysis and Cox regression analysis.

–Results: As compared to non-DM cohort, the incidence of all skin cancers in patients age≧60 years was significantly higher in DM cohort (IRR=1.44, P = 0.017). The incidence rate of nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSC) was 1.57 times significantly higher in DM patients age ≧60 years (IRR=1.57, P=0.005). The incidence rate of melanoma were 0.46 times lower in the DM cohort without significance (P=0.11). After adjusting age and sex, the risk of developing all skin cancers was 1.27 times in DM patients with borderline significance. (adjusted hazard ratio (AHR)=1.27, p=0.077) The risk of developing NMSC was 1.39 times significantly higher in DM patients. (AHR=1.39, p=0.02). The risk of melanoma was lower in DM cohort than non-DM cohort but without significance.

–Conclusion: The present study indicated that there were higher incidences and higher risks of developing skin cancers, including NMSC, especially in older adults with DM.

Reference: Regional Congress of Dermatology (RCD) 2016 – Singapore. RCD16-0321 Skin Cancers and Pre-cancers. RISK OF SKIN CANCER IN PATIENTS WITH DIABETES MELLITUS: A RETROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY IN TAIWAN H.W. Tseng1,2, H.C. Lam3, K.W. Tsai4, Y.L. Shiue2 1Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Dermatology, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan 2National Sun Yat-sen University, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 3Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan 4Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Department of Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan