The correlation holds true across all ethnic groups

Dec 9, 2013 08:05 GMT  ·  By

Investigators with the University of Southern California (USC) were recently able to demonstrate in a new study that suffering from diabetes is an important risk factor for developing hepatocellular carcinoma, a common type of liver cancer. 

Their findings were presented at the Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved, the sixth such event hosted by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). The meeting took place December 6-9, in Atlanta.

The highest probability of liver cancer occurring from diabetes was recorded for Latinos, the research group explains. The second-most at-risk group were Hawaiians, followed by African-Americans and Japanese-Americans. This study was conducted because the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma is on the rise in the United States.

Within the past three decades alone, the number of cases tripled, which equates to a 100 percent increase every 10 years. As such, it is imperative for oncologists and researchers to determine the root causes and risk factors for this dangerous type of liver cancer.

Previous studies had suggested that diabetes is a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma, and that the growing incidence of diabetes in the general population may help explain the growing number of liver cancer cases, but evidences to support this claim have been lacking until now.

“People with diabetes have a two- to threefold higher risk for hepatocellular carcinoma compared with those without diabetes,” explained assistant professor V. Wendy Setiawan, PhD, who holds an appointment with the Department of Preventive Medicine at USC's Keck School of Medicine .

“We also found that the interethnic differences in the prevalence of diabetes were consistent with the pattern of hepatocellular carcinoma incidence observed across ethnicities: Ethnic groups with a high prevalence of diabetes also have high hepatocellular carcinoma rates, and those with a lower prevalence of diabetes have lower hepatocellular carcinoma rates,” she said at the conference.

The expert added that diabetics should always keep in mind that their condition is likely to promote the development of liver cancer. As such, they should manage their diabetes properly, limit the amount of tobacco and alcohol their consume, maintain a healthy weight, and prevent hepatitis infections at all costs.

If these steps are followed, then the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma within the general population may decrease. A further reduction may be obtained if authorities direct obesity and diabetes programs towards at-risk populations.