Diabetes is linked with an increased risk of developing cancer particularly among women, new research suggests.
A review of 47 studies involving almost 20 million people has shown for the first time that women with the condition are at a greater risk than men of developing any form of the disease, the authors said.
They warned the gender differences were “not insignificant” and needed addressing.
The research by The George Institute for Global Health, an affiliate of the University of Oxford, found women with diabetes are 27% more likely to develop cancer than women without the condition.
Diabetes among men was linked with a 19% higher risk, according to the findings published in journal Diabetologia.
Overall, the researchers found women with diabetes are 6% more likely to develop any form of cancer than men with diabetes.
