A new study shows people with type 1 diabetes (previously called juvenile diabetes) have a much higher risk of bladder cancer. Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC found these patients are 4.29 times more likely to develop bladder cancer.
This is the first study that separated the risk caused by smoking, which previous studies did not properly account for. The findings were published in the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice.
Bladder cancer affects about 2% of people in the US. Smoking causes about half of these cases. The causes of the other half are not well known. Past studies suggested type 2 diabetes might increase risk, but type 1 diabetes was not clearly linked to bladder cancer.
The new research explains why earlier studies missed this link. Smoking is a major risk factor for bladder cancer, so any study must separate its effects from other causes. The previous studies on type 1 diabetes did not do this well.
Authors of the study analyzed nine previous studies and one older meta-analysis. None properly adjusted for smoking. The new study used a meta-regression method to control smoking rates and found that people with type 1 diabetes have a much higher bladder cancer risk.
The increased risk may result from biological changes caused by type 1 diabetes. Maintaining good blood sugar control might help reduce this risk. Also, smoking combined with diabetes may increase cancer risk even more.
Dr. Victoria K. Cortessis, the study’s lead author, said the findings could help patients and doctors make better decisions about managing bladder cancer risk. Quitting smoking might be especially important for people with type 1 diabetes.
The researchers are also studying how type 2 diabetes affects bladder cancer risk and looking at treatments that could lower this risk.
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