When Diabetes Causes Cancer: Important Facts to Know

General knowledge tells us how cancer works and how deadly it is. For diabetics, there can be a possibility when diabetes causes cancer and cancer can be an additional threat. It is an important fact to know how it can happen. As prevention is the best way to avoid it, more cancer information is highly essential.

How diabetes causes cancer

Diabetes and cancer are two overwhelming diagnoses not only to patients but for clinicians as well. One of the important facts to know is that an average of 12% of people with cancer have diabetes. Both diabetes and cancer pose a dreadful challenge for the clinicians to care for their patients.

While diabetes increased by about 30% during the 1990s with the ageing population having obesity as a prevalent issue. Connecting diabetes to cancer becomes more alarming.

Researches have found out that diabetes causes chronic liver disease that can lead to liver cancer. Liver cancer incidence happens twice with people who are diabetics than those who are not. Cancer of the liver caused by diabetes is most likely more dangerous since it usually goes undetected until becomes severe.

Diabetes causes cancer most likely in the liver and pancreas. Also one of the most important facts to know is that pancreatic cancer likewise causes diabetes. About 80% of patients with cancer in the pancreas also are diabetics.

Studies found that some drug treatments for diabetes can lead to pancreatitis especially to diabetics who are taking the drugs for a long time. Some diabetes drugs cause abnormalities in the pancreas. It is important to consult your physician when taking diabetes drug treatments and discuss about their possible side effects.

Cancer causes

Other than diabetes, cancer can occur due to several factors like Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid (DNA), genes and carcinogens. While the possibility of the fact that diabetes causes cancer, DNA function is also one of the most important facts to know about cancer occurrence.

There are 4 DNA genes which responsibly manage the cell division process. One are oncogenes which schedule the division of the cells; second are the tumor suppressor genes who tell cells when not to divide, a thing that keeps the cells in control. The third DNA cells are the suicide genes which advise the cell to kill itself when something goes wrong; and fourth-repair genes which instruct a cell to repair a damaged DNA.

In contrast, when a cells’ gene mutation stop these 4 DNA genes, then cancer occurs. Cancer inhibits the function of oncogene and tumor suppressor, resulting to uncontrollable cell growth and correct DNA damage. Knowing that diabetes causes cancer does not mean that non-diabetics are safe from cancer. Indeed, these are important facts to know about this deadly ailment.

Cancer can also be the cause of a genetic situation that is inherited from the family members. A fault in a gene can make someone develop cancer in later life.

DNA can also be damaged by substances called carcinogens. These substances promote and help cancer. Examples of these are arsenic, asbestos, tobacco, radiation like x-rays and gamma, the sun and compounds in car exhaust fumes. When the body is exposed to carcinogens, free radicals can be formed and these in turn steal electrons from the body’s other molecules. The cells are damaged by free radicals and affect their ability to normally function.

While diabetes causes cancer, and DNA, genes and carcinogens, additional important facts to know is age.

As we age, mutations in the DNA that can cause cancer shall incrase. So are viruses such as human papilloma virus (which causes cervical cancer), hepatitis B (causes liver cancer), Epstein-Barr (causes childhood cancer), HIV and others which weaken the immune system.