The association between fasting blood glucose trajectory and cancer risk in Chinese population without diabetes

Cumulative exposure to impaired fasting glucose and gastrointestinal cancer risk: A nationwide cohort study

BACKGROUND

Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) is associated with the risk of various cancers, but the cumulative effect of IFG on gastrointestinal cancer risk remains unclear. This study evaluated the association between the cumulative exposure to IFG and gastrointestinal cancer risk.

METHODS

The authors extracted data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service and health examination data sets. Among individuals ≥40 years old who were free of diabetes or cancer, 1,430,054 who underwent national health examinations over 4 consecutive years from 2009 to 2012 were selected and followed up until gastrointestinal cancer diagnosis, death, or December 31, 2019. The IFG exposure score (range, 0-4) was based on the number of IFG diagnoses over 4 years.

RESULTS

The median follow-up duration was 6.4 years. Consistent normoglycemia for 4 years was found in 44.3% of the population, whereas 5.0% had persistent IFG and 50.7% had intermittent IFG. Compared to the group with an IFG exposure score of 0, groups with IFG exposure scores of 1, 2, 3, and 4 had a 5%, 8%, 9%, and 12% increased risk of gastrointestinal cancer, respectively (score 1: adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.08; score 2: aHR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.04-1.12; score 3: aHR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.05-1.14; score 4: aHR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.06-1.19). Persistent IFG exposure was also associated with higher risks of individual cancer types (colorectum, stomach, pancreas, biliary tract, and esophagus).

CONCLUSIONS

Cumulative exposure to IFG is associated with an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal cancer, in a dose-dependent manner.

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY

Hyperglycemia, including both diabetes and prediabetes, has been associated with an increased risk of various cancers. However, the cumulative effect of impaired fasting glucose on the risk of developing gastrointestinal cancer remains unclear. A frequent diagnosis of impaired fasting glucose was dose-dependently associated with a higher risk of developing overall gastrointestinal cancer. Furthermore, risks of individual cancer types increased with persistent impaired fasting glucose. Early detection of hyperglycemia and strict glycemic control can lower the risk of gastrointestinal cancer by reducing hyperglycemic burden. Additionally, for some individuals, lifestyle changes such as managing metabolic syndrome or abstaining from alcohol may also be helpful.

The Association between Blood Test Trends and Undiagnosed Cancer: A Systematic Review and Critical Appraisal

Clinical guidelines include monitoring blood test abnormalities to identify patients at increased risk of undiagnosed cancer. Noting blood test changes over time may improve cancer risk stratification by considering a patient's individual baseline and important changes within the normal range. We aimed to review the published literature to understand the association between blood test trends and undiagnosed cancer. MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched until 15 May 2023 for studies assessing the association between blood test trends and undiagnosed cancer. We used descriptive summaries and narratively synthesised studies. We included 29 articles. Common blood tests were haemoglobin (24%, n = 7), C-reactive protein (17%, n = 5), and fasting blood glucose (17%, n = 5), and common cancers were pancreatic (29%, n = 8) and colorectal (17%, n = 5). Of the 30 blood tests studied, an increasing trend in eight (27%) was associated with eight cancer types, and a decreasing trend in 17 (57%) with 10 cancer types. No association was reported between trends in 11 (37%) tests and breast, bile duct, glioma, haematological combined, liver, prostate, or thyroid cancers. Our review highlights trends in blood tests that could facilitate the identification of individuals at increased risk of undiagnosed cancer. For most possible combinations of tests and cancers, there was limited or no evidence.

Cancer risk according to fasting blood glucose trajectories: a population-based cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Diabetes mellitus is known to increase the risk of cancer. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels can be changed over time. However, the association between FBG trajectory and cancer risk has been insufficiently studied. This research aims to examine the relationship between FBG trajectories and cancer risk in the Korean population.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We analyzed data from the National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort collected between 2002 and 2015. Group-based trajectory modeling was performed on 256,271 Koreans aged 40-79 years who had participated in health examinations at least three times from 2002 to 2007. After excluding patients with cancer history before 2008, we constructed a cancer-free cohort. The Cox proportional hazards model was applied to examine the association between FBG trajectories and cancer incidence by cancer type, after adjustments for covariates. Cancer case was defined as a person who was an outpatient thrice or was hospitalized once or more with a cancer diagnosis code within the first year of the claim.

RESULTS

During the follow-up time (2008-2015), 18,991 cancer cases were identified. Four glucose trajectories were found: low-stable (mean of FBG at each wave <100 mg/dL), elevated-stable (113-124 mg/dL), elevated-high (104-166 mg/dL), and high-stable (>177 mg/dL). The high-stable group had a higher risk of multiple myeloma, liver cancer and gastrointestinal cancer than the low-stable group, with HR 4.09 (95% CI 1.40 to 11.95), HR 1.68 (95% CI 1.25 to 2.26) and HR 1.27 (95% CI 1.11 to 1.45), respectively. In elevated-stable trajectory, the risk increased for all cancer (HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.16) and stomach cancer (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.43). Significant associations were also found in the elevated-high group with oral (HR 2.13, 95% CI 1.01 to 4.47), liver (HR 1.50, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.08) and pancreatic cancer (HR 1.99, 95% CI 1.20 to 3.30).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study highlights that the uncontrolled high glucose level for many years may increase the risk of cancer.

Long-term fasting glucose variability and risk of cancer in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A retrospective population-based cohort study in Shanghai

BACKGROUNDS

Fasting blood glucose (FBG) variability may make an impact on adverse events in patients with diabetes mellitus. However, the association between long-term changes in FBG and cancer remains unclear. We aimed to investigate this association in a large-scale longitudinal study.

METHODS

Data were collected from 46 761 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus aged 20-80 years who participated in the Diabetes Standardized Management Program in Shanghai, China. We adopted four indicators, including standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), variation independent of the mean (VIM), and average real variability (ARV) to describe FBG variability. Adjusted multivariable Cox regression analyses and restricted cubic splines were used to investigate the association between long-term FBG variability and cancer risk. We also determined the interactive effect of FBG variability with hypertension and FBG-mean with hypertension on cancer risk, respectively.

RESULTS

In this study, we confirmed 2218 cancer cases (51.1% male) over a median follow-up of 2.86 years. In the multivariable-adjusted models, participants in the highest quartile of FBG variability had an increased risk of cancer compared with those in the lowest quartile. The nonlinear association was found when using FBG-VIM, FBG-ARV, and FBG-SD in restricted cubic spline plots. There was a significant interaction effect of FBG variability with hypertension on cancer, whereas the effect of FBG-mean with hypertension did not attain significance.

CONCLUSIONS

Our retrospective cohort study demonstrated a positive association between the long-term changes in FBG and cancer risk in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. FBG variability may independently predict cancer incidence.

Haemoglobin A1c and serum glucose levels and risk of gastric cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined associations between serum levels of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and glucose and the risk of gastric cancer.

Methods

MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched for studies examining associations between serum levels of HbA1c or glucose and the risk of gastric cancer. Inclusion of studies, quality assessment, and data extraction were conducted independently by two authors. Pooled hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were synthesised using random-effects models. Cochran’s Q test and I² statistic were used to assess heterogeneity.

Results

Among 3473 identified studies, 12 were included. Of these, 5 studies examined HbA1c levels and 7 studies examined serum glucose levels. Serum HbA1c levels >6% were associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer (HR 1.36, 95% CI 1.06–1.74). When compared with the lowest glucose categories, the highest glucose categories were associated with a borderline increased risk of gastric cancer (HR 1.11, 95% CI 0.98–1.26). In subgroup analyses, studies that adjusted for Helicobacter pylori infection indicated stronger associations between elevated HbA1c levels and gastric cancer (HR 2.08, 95% CI 1.46–2.98) than those without such adjustment (HR 1.10, 95% CI 0.91–1.32).

Conclusions

Long-standing poor glycaemic control may increase the risk of gastric cancer.

Registration number

PROSPERO CRD42020157453.

Alcohol consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and mortality: a prospective cohort study

Background

Studies regarding whether light to moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) have generated mixed results. Further, few studies have examined the potential impact of alcohol consumption on diverse disease outcomes simultaneously. We aimed to prospectively study the dose-response association between alcohol consumption and risk of CVD, cancer, and mortality.

Methods

This study included 83,732 adult Chinese participants, free of CVD and cancer at baseline. Participants were categorized into 6 groups based on self-report alcohol consumption: 0, 1–25, 26–150, 151–350, 351–750, and > 750 g alcohol/wk. Incident cases of CVD, cancers, and mortality were confirmed by medical records. Hazard ratios (HRs) for the composite risk of these three outcomes, and each individual outcome, were calculated using Cox proportional hazard model.

Results

During a median follow-up of 10.0 years, there were 6411 incident cases of CVD, 2947 cancers and 6646 deaths. We observed a J-shaped relation between alcohol intake and risk of CVD, cancer, and mortality, with the lowest risk at 25 g/wk., which is equivalent to ~ 2 servings/wk. Compared to consuming 1–25 g/wk., the adjusted HR for composite outcomes was 1.38 (95% confidence interval (CI):1.29–1.49) for non-drinker, 1.15 (95% CI: 1.04–1.27) for 26–150 g/wk., 1.22 (95% CI: 1.10–1.34) for 151–350 g/wk., 1.33 (95% CI: 1.21–1.46) for 351–750 g/wk., and 1.57 (95% CI: 1.30–1.90) for > 750 g/wk., after adjusting for age, sex, lifestyle, social economic status, and medication use.

Conclusions

Light alcohol consumption at ~ 25 g/wk was associated with lower risk of CVD, cancer, and mortality than none or higher consumption in Chinese adults.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12937-021-00671-y.

Association Between Longitudinal Change in Abnormal Fasting Blood Glucose Levels and Outcome of COVID-19 Patients Without Previous Diagnosis of Diabetes

This retrospective study examined changes in fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels during hospitalization and their effect on risk of death for Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients without previously diagnosed diabetes. A model with low- and high-stable pattern trajectories was established based on a longitudinal change in FBG levels. We analyzed FBG trajectory-associated clinical features and risk factors for death due to COVID-19. Of the 230 enrolled patients, 44 died and 87.83% had a low-stable pattern (average FBG range: 6.63-7.54 mmol/L), and 12.17% had a high-stable pattern (average FBG range: 12.59-14.02 mmol/L). There were statistical differences in laboratory findings and case fatality between the two FBG patterns. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that increased neutrophil count (odds ratio [OR], 25.43; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.07, 313.03), elevated direct bilirubin (OR, 5.80; 95%CI: 1.72, 19.58), elevated creatinine (OR, 26.69; 95% CI: 5.82, 122.29), lymphopenia (OR, 8.07; 95% CI: 2.70, 24.14), and high-stable FBG pattern (OR, 8.79; 95% CI: 2.39, 32.29) were independent risk factors for higher case fatality in patients with COVID-19 and hyperglycemia but no history of diabetes. FBG trajectories were significantly associated with death risk in patients with COVID-19 and no diabetes.