Breast Cancer Advances More Quickly in Diabetes

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Breast cancer appears to advance more quickly in women with diabetes, a study found. When researchers compared records of women ages 20 to 105 diagnosed with breast cancer, including about 6,000 with diabetes and more than 32,000 without, they found that those with diabetes had larger tumors, a 14 to 21 percent greater risk for a more dangerous stage of tumor, and a 16 percent greater chance of the cancer having spread to the lymph nodes. The women with diabetes were slightly less likely to have received a mammogram, but the risk persisted even after the researchers accounted for that, suggesting that diabetes itself might increase the cancer risk. Experts disagree on the age most women should start getting mammograms, so it's best to ask your doctor for specific mammogram advice.
Source: Breast Cancer Research & Treatment, published online March 24, 2015
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