The assessment of the relationship between diabetes mellitus, glucose intolerance and abdominal obesity in cancer patients

OBJECTIVE: Several studies show evidence of increasing the risk of cancer by visceral obesity, diabetes, hyperglycemia, metabolic syndrome, subclinical inflammation. The main objective of this study is searching for answer to the question whether there is a significant relationship between metabolic syndrome, abdominal obesity and glucose tolerance disorders (GTD) in cancer patients by evaluating each of them. METHOD: The 118 new diagnosed cancer patients who were admitted to the Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine Division of Medical Oncology outpatient clinic in July 2012 - January 2013 were included in the study. Each of the patients were applied a questionnaire which evaluating medical history, family history, habits, physical activity. Height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference were measured, BMI and WHR were calculated. Total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, fasting blood glucose (FBG), postprandial blood glucose (PPG), HbA1c values were used that were examined routinely. Patients with breast, GIS cancers, lung cancer were divided into three groups. Relationship between metabolic syndrome and cancer were evaluated by examining criteria of metabolic syndrome according to IDF individually. FINDINGS: 73 of the patients (61.9%) were male, 45 were (38.1%) female; mean age was 57.7 ± 11.2 years. 33 lung, 31 colorectal, 30 breast, 12 stomach, seven pancreas, four esophagus, one bile duct carcinoma patients were included to the study. Metabolic syndrome was detected in 39.83% of the patients; 57.77% of the women, 28.76% of the men (p = 0.002). It was found more frequent among the patients who have breast cancer (p = 0.014) and postmenopausal women (p = 0.024). The average of BMI was 26 ± 4,5 kg / m² and in women and patients with breast cancer were higher (p = 0.000). 61% of the patients, 82.2% of the women and 47.9% of the men were found to be centrally obese (p = 0.000). Central obesity was found in 90% of breast cancer, 58.18% of GİS cancer, 39.39% of AC cancer patients (p = 0.000). The average of WHR (p = 0.008), WC (p = 0.016), BMI (p = 0.063) in breast cancer patients were found higher in postmenopausal period. 40.7% of the patients had lower levels of HDL. There was no significant difference in FBG, PPG, and HbA1C between gender and diagnostic groups. The mean of HbA1C was higher in postmenopausal breast cancer patients (p = 0.000). There was no significant difference in GTD between gender and diagnostic groups. RESULTS: In this study that we examined the relationship between metabolic syndrome and cancer. We found that metabolic syndrome was more frequent in women, breast cancer patients and postmenopausal period; obesity was more frequent in women and breast cancer patients; central obesity was more frequent in women, breast cancer patients and postmenopausal period. There was no significant difference in GTD between gender and diagnostic groups. Further comprehensive researches are required to evaluate the relationship between metabolic syndrome and cancer and underlying mechanisms of them.