PLoS ONE (Jan 2014)

Impact of diabetes mellitus on the outcome of pancreatic cancer.

  • Muhammad Shaalan Beg,
  • Alok Kumar Dwivedi,
  • Syed Arif Ahmad,
  • Sadia Ali,
  • Olugbenga Olowokure

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0098511
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 5
p. e98511

Abstract

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Diabetes mellitus (DM) has the potential to impact the pathogenesis, treatment, and outcome of pancreatic cancer. This study evaluates the impact of DM on pancreatic cancer survival.We conducted a retrospective cohort study from the Veterans Affairs (VA) Central Cancer Registry (VACCR) for pancreatic cancer cases between 1995 and 2008. DM and no-DM cases were identified from comorbidity data. Univariate and multivariable analysis was performed. Multiple imputation method was employed to account for missing variables.Of 8,466 cases of pancreatic cancer DM status was known in 4728 cases that comprised this analysis. Males accounted for 97.7% cases, and 78% were white. Overall survival was 4.2 months in DM group and 3.6 months in the no-DM group. In multivariable analysis, DM had a HR = 0.91 (0.849-0.974). This finding persisted after accounting for missing variables using multiple imputations method with the HR in DM group of 0.93 (0.867-0.997).Our data suggest DM is associated with a reduction in risk of death in pancreatic cancer. Future studies should be directed towards examining this association, specifically impact of DM medications on cancer outcome.