Effect of diabetes mellitus on the epidemiology and outcomes of colon cancer

Objectives To assess the effect of diabetes mellitus (DM) on the pathogenesis and outcomes from colon cancer. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted on 1853 patients with colon cancer. Results A higher percentage of males than females with colon cancer had DM (16.2% vs 11.3%; p <0.01). Males had a slightly lower risk of dying from colon cancer (RR−0.88; p =0.08). There was no difference in the median age of diagnosis of colon cancer in patients with and without DM, but a larger proportion of patients with diabetes mellitus were ≥70 yr at diagnosis (50% vs 43%) ( p =0.0004). No significant relationship was noted between stage of colon cancer or survival and presence of DM. Conclusions DM did not affect either the stage at diagnosis, or outcomes from colon cancer. More males with colon cancer tended to have DM and a larger proportion of patients with DM were ≥70 yr at the time of diagnosis.