A high rate of undiagnosed diabetes in new uterine cancer patients

Purpose of Investigation: To evaluate the number of potential missed diagnoses of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or glucose intolerance (glucose intolerance) in new endometrial cancer patients and define disease thresholds for T2DM in this patient population. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective review evaluating all newly diagnosed endometrial cancer patients in a single provider practice from April 2012 through June 2015. Two hundred and fourteen uterine cancer patients were included. Chi square analysis, t-test, and binary logistic regression were used to calculate outcomes. Results: 48.6% of uterine cancer patients had a new diagnosis of T2DM or glucose intolerance. Conclusions: Survivorship from uterine cancer after primary surgical treatment and adjuvant therapies is associated with management of medical comorbidities. These medical comorbidities primarily include cardiovascular and endocrine diseases. Oral hypoglycemic treatment has been shown to improve overall survival and outcomes in uterine cancer patients, in addition to optimization of the primary control of diabetes. HgAlc levels can be checked at new uterine cancer patient visits to enhance patient care. Consideration of a lower threshold for treatment with oral hypoglycemics can be undertaken in patients with a new diagnosis of uterine cancer. Perhaps the diagnosis of T2DM can be applied at lower HgAlc levels in survivorship efforts.