Pancreatic cancer linked to insulin

Men with high concentrations of insulin or who are insulin-resistant are at greater risk of contracting pancreatic cancer, a federal study concludes.

The National Cancer Institute research tapped the earlier Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study to randomly select 400 control group members and 169 men who developed pancreatic cancer through December 2001.

After adjusting for their age, years smoked and body mass index, the study found that men in the top quarter of the group -- those with the highest insulin concentrations and greatest insulin resistance -- were twice as likely to develop pancreatic cancer.

"Although based solely on male smokers, our findings for glucose and biochemical-defined diabetes mellitus are consistent with previous studies conducted in diverse populations that have included women and non-smokers," the authors wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The National Cancer Institute team called for additional research to confirm its findings.

© Copyright 2005 by United Press International