Gestational diabetes mellitus and subsequent risk for cancer

Takeaway

• Women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) were at an increased risk for cancer, including breast, stomach, pancreatic, liver, and thyroid cancers.

Why this matters

• Findings warrant further studies to establish the association between GDM and long-term risk for cancer.

Study design

• Meta-analysis included 17 observational studies (7 case-control and 10 cohort studies) after a search across electronic databases.
• Funding: The National Natural Science Foundation of China and others.

Key results

• GDM was associated with an increased risk for breast cancer in Asia (relative risk [RR], 1.31; 95% CI, 1.01-1.70).
• Similarly, GDM was linked to increased risk for:
  • thyroid cancer (RR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.16-1.42);
  • stomach cancer (RR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.02-2.00);
  • liver cancer (RR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.03-1.55); and
  • pancreatic (RR, 3.49; 95% CI, 0.80-15.23).
• GDM was not associated with an increased risk for colon, brain and nervous system, colorectal, ovarian, cervical, ovarian, blood, endometrial, skin or urological cancers, and other types of cancer.

Limitations

• Heterogeneity among studies.
• Lack of information on potential confounders.