Mortality from site-specific malignancies in type 2 diabetic patients from Verona.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present work was to compare mortality from site-specific malignancies in type 2 diabetic patients with those in the general population.


METHODS
Mortality from site-specific cancers was assessed in a population-based cohort of 7,148 type 2 diabetic patients from Verona (Northern Italy) during a 10-year follow-up (1987-1996) by reviewing death certificates. Standardized mortality ratio (SMR) data were computed using as reference mortality rates in the general population of Verona.


RESULTS
During follow-up, 641 patients (378 men and 263 women) died of malignancies. The most common causes of death among site-specific malignancies were digestive tumors both in men (140 of 378, 37.0%) and women (105 of 263, 39.9%), respiratory tumors in men (103 of 378, 27.2%), and tumors of the reproductive system in women (79 of 263, 30.0%). A slight increase in the overall mortality from malignancies was observed in diabetic patients and achieved statistical significance in women (observed/expected = 1.16, 95% CI 1.02-1.30; P = 0.019) but not in men (observed/expected = 1.07, 0.97-1.19; P = 0.163). Excess mortality from hepatic cancer (SMR = 1.86, 1.44-2.38) was observed in both men and women. In addition, women with diabetes experienced a higher mortality from pancreatic tumors (observed/expected = 1.78, 1.13-2.67) and breast tumors (observed/expected = 1.40, 1.06-1.81). Excess mortality from breast cancer was confined to obese women with diabetes.


CONCLUSIONS
Mortality from site-specific malignancies is different in type 2 diabetic patients than in the general population. Better control of body weight seems necessary to prevent the excess mortality from breast cancer in women.
Verlato
Giuseppe
G
Unit of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Zoppini
Giacomo
G
Bonora
Enzo
E
Muggeo
Michele
M
D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D015996:Survival Rate