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.