A ‘strong link’ found between diabetes and advanced stage breast cancer

Scientists have found a “strong link” between diabetes and advanced stage breast cancer, a new joint study by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) and the Women’s College Research Institute - both based in Canada - has stated.

"Our findings suggest that women with diabetes may be predisposed to more advanced stage breast cancer, which may be a contributor to their higher cancer mortality," explained Dr Lorraine Lipscombe, a scientist at both the ICES and the Women's College Research Institute.

Published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, the paper noted that women with diabetes are 14 per cent more likely to present with Stage 2 breast cancer and 21 per cent more likely to present with Stage 3 breast cancer, than to present with Stage 1.

The authors of the report said that based on its findings, breast cancer screening and detection methods may need to be modified in patients with diabetes to “reduce the chances of later stage detection”.