BACKGROUND: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) as well as patients with obesity have increased cancer mortality. In a previous paper we suggested that there was a trend for decreased mortality in obese individuals with T2DM. The aim of the new analyses was to investigate the same relationship after increasing our sample size and extending our follow-up period. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 1353 patients were followed prospectively as part of the ZODIAC study. The cancer mortality rate was evaluated using standardized mortality ratio (SMR) and its association with BMI (kg/m(2)) and obesity (>30 kg/m(2)) with Cox proportional hazard analysis. RESULTS: After a median follow-up time of 9.8 years, 570 patients had died, of whom 122 died from malignancy. The SMR for cancer mortality was 1.47 (95%CI 1.22-1.76). BMI and obesity were not associated with cancer death. CONCLUSION: The trend towards an inverse relationship between obesity and cancer mortality as reported previously disappeared after increasing sample size and follow-up to 9.6 years.
BACKGROUND:Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) as well as patients with obesity have increased cancer mortality. In a previous paper we suggested that there was a trend for decreased mortality in obese individuals with T2DM. The aim of the new analyses was to investigate the same relationship after increasing our sample size and extending our follow-up period. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 1353 patients were followed prospectively as part of the ZODIAC study. The cancer mortality rate was evaluated using standardized mortality ratio (SMR) and its association with BMI (kg/m(2)) and obesity (>30 kg/m(2)) with Cox proportional hazard analysis. RESULTS: After a median follow-up time of 9.8 years, 570 patients had died, of whom 122 died from malignancy. The SMR for cancer mortality was 1.47 (95%CI 1.22-1.76). BMI and obesity were not associated with cancer death. CONCLUSION: The trend towards an inverse relationship between obesity and cancer mortality as reported previously disappeared after increasing sample size and follow-up to 9.6 years.