| Abstract [eng] |
Chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and breast cancer are placing an increasing burden on healthcare systems, especially in an ageing population. The incidence of both diseases is rising worldwide, and exploring their interrelationship is essential to develop effective prevention strategies. Examining the risk and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and breast cancer provides insight into the scale of the problem and, perhaps, into the hidden answers as to why breast cancer is so common not only in Lithuania, but also globally. Purpose: To assess the risk of breast cancer among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus between 2001 and 2012. Tasks: 1. To assess the likelihood of breast cancer in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus; 2. To assess the most common cancer stages in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus; 3. To assess the need for breast cancer prevention programmes in women with diabetes mellitus. Methods: The cohort consisted of patients (women) who were identified in the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) database and diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. Cancer cases were identified by linking records to the Lithuanian Cancer Registry. Data were analysed by sex and age groups. The standardised incidence ratio (SIR) of breast cancer was calculated as the ratio of the observed number of cancers in people diagnosed with diabetes to the expected number of cancers in the general population. Results: The total cohort consisted of 134963 women diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus between 2001 and 2012. Of these, 2219 were diagnosed with breast cancer. The mean age of women with type 2 diabetes was 63 years. Women with type 2 diabetes have a 2-fold higher chance of developing breast cancer compared to the general population of women in Lithuania. The highest expected incidence and the highest number of breast cancers were found in the age category of women aged 50-59. Compared to the general population of women in Lithuania, women with diabetes are 5.7 times more likely to develop breast cancer than women without diabetes. The most frequently diagnosed cancer stages in diabetic women are stage 2 (43.35%) and stage 1 (22.19%). Conclusions: 1. In the follow-up of women with type 2 diabetes mellitus from 2001 to 2012, it was found that compared to the general population of women in Lithuania, diabetic women are 2 times more likely to develop breast cancer. Women with type 2 diabetes are the most likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer when they are aged 50-59 and 70-79; 2. Women with type 2 diabetes are most likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer when the cancer is in the first or second stage; 3. The two most common stages of breast cancer are stage 2 and 1. Prevention programmes have their value. In the future, more frequent breast cancer screening for women with diabetes should also be considered. |
