TY - JOUR AB - Diabetes and cancer represent two common, multifactorial, chronic and potentially fatal diseases, not infrequently co‑diagnosed in the same patient. Epidemiological data demonstrate significant increases of the cancer incidence in patients with obesity and diabetes, which is more evident for certain site‑specific cancers. Although there is increasing evidence that strongly indicates an augmented risk of cancer in diabetic patients, several confounding factors complicate the ability to precisely assess the risk. Mainly in insulin‑resistant states (such as in type 2 diabetes mellitus and in metabolic syndrome), direct associations between obesity‑related hyperinsulinemia and increasing circulating insulin‑like growth factor‑1 (IGF‑1) levels have been implicated as key factors in the mechanisms involved in carcinogenesis. Whilst anti‑diabetic drugs can increase the cancer risk, anti‑proliferative drugs may cause diabetes or aggravate pre‑existing diabetes. Additionally, an increasing number of targeted anti‑cancer therapies may interfere with the pathways shared by IGF‑1 and insulin receptors, showing a adverse effect on glucose metabolism through various mechanisms. Although there is a requirement for large‑scale randomized evidence, the present review summarizes the majority of the epidemiological association studies between diabetes and various types of cancer, discussing the pathophysiological mechanisms that may be involved in promoting carcinogenesis in diabetes and the potential impact of different anti‑diabetic therapies on cancer risk. AD - Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology, Ospedale Civile, Vigevano, Azienda Ospedaliera di Pavia 19, I-27029, Italy AU - Gristina,Valerio AU - Cupri,Maria ,Grazia AU - Torchio,Martina AU - Mezzogori,Claudio AU - Cacciabue,Laura AU - Danova,Marco DA - 2015/03/01 DO - 10.3892/br.2014.399 EP - 136 IS - 2 JO - Biomed Rep KW - diabetes cancer risk insulin‑resistant states anti‑diabetic medications anti‑cancer drugs PY - 2015 SN - 2049-9434 2049-9442 SP - 131 ST - Diabetes and cancer: A critical appraisal of the pathogenetic and therapeutic links (Review) T2 - Biomedical Reports TI - Diabetes and cancer: A critical appraisal of the pathogenetic and therapeutic links (Review) UR - https://doi.org/10.3892/br.2014.399 VL - 3 ER -