New-onset vs long-standing diabetes tied to higher pancreatic cancer risk

People with diabetes mellitus (DM) have a higher risk of pancreatic cancer than those without DM, reveals a recent study. Among diabetic individuals, those with new-onset DM show a greater pancreatic cancer risk than those with long-standing DM.

In this study, the investigators analysed data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service‒National Sample Cohort between 2022 and 2013. A total of 88,396 people with DM (case group) were assessed and propensity-score matched to a non-DM population (control group).

The investigators explored the interaction between DM and the time variable distinguishing new-onset and long-standing DM using a multivariate time-dependent Cox regression analysis.

The DM group had a higher incidence of pancreatic cancer than the non-DM group (0.52 percent vs 0.16 percent; p<0.001). Among those with DM, a different risk of pancreatic cancer development was seen based on the duration since the DM diagnosis (new-onset: hazard ratio [HR], 3.81, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 2.97‒4.88; p<0.001; long-standing: HR, 1.53, 95 percent CI< 1.11‒2.11; p<0.001).

When comparing the two DM groups, the new-onset cohort showed a higher risk of pancreatic cancer than the long-standing cohort (HR, 1.55; p=0.020).

Subgroup analysis revealed men (HR, 4.42, 95 percent CI, 3.15‒6.19; p<0.001) and patients in their 50s (HR, 7.54, 95 percent CI, 3.24‒17.56; p<0.001) in the new-onset DM group were at greater risk of developing pancreatic cancer than their counterparts in the control group (non-DM population).

“Considering the absence of methods to find pancreatic cancer early, surveillance of high-risk groups is needed for early diagnosis,” the investigators said.