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The following is a summary of “Effect of diabetes mellitus type 2 and sulfonylurea on colorectal cancer development: a case-control study,” published in the October 2024 issue of Gastroenterology by Rezazadeh et al.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are both rising global health concerns, with CRC cases projected to reach 2.5 million by 2035 and T2D cases expected to impact 642 million people by 2040. Despite this, the relationship between T2D, its treatments, and CRC risk remains uncertain. For a study, researchers aimed to clarify the effects of T2D and sulfonylurea use on CRC development.

They conducted a case-control study that analyzed data from 810 control patients without CRC and 684 patients with CRC who were admitted to two major hospitals from 2019 to 2023. Logistic regression analyses, both unadjusted and adjusted, were conducted to determine the association of T2D and sulfonylurea use with CRC risk. Additionally, the study explored links between T2D and tumor characteristics.

Results indicated a significant association between T2D and CRC based on unadjusted odds (OR = 1.39, CI = 1.07–1.81), though the association was not significant after adjustment (OR = 0.67, CI = 0.37–1.20). Sulfonylurea use was linked to a significantly higher risk of CRC in both unadjusted (OR = 2.39, CI = 1.40–4.09) and adjusted models (OR = 2.35, CI = 1.12–4.91). No significant correlations were found between T2D and CRC tumor characteristics.

The findings suggest that while T2D itself may not significantly increase CRC risk when adjusted for other factors, the use of sulfonylurea among patients with T2D is associated with a higher likelihood of CRC. These results have potential implications for CRC prevention strategies and highlight the need for careful consideration of medication choice in patients with T2D.

Source: bmcgastroenterol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12876-024-03477-4