Diabetescan affect multiple organs, including theliver.
Bothtype 1 diabetesandtype 2 diabetescan independently increase the risk of liver cancer.
Research indicates that people with diabetes are two to three times more likely to develop HCC than people without.
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The risk is further increased if diabetes is poorly controlled or left untreated.
This is known ashyperglycemia.
With hyperglycemia, the body has more glucose than it needs to fuel cells.
Under normal circumstances, free radicals are controlled by nutrients known as antioxidants.
Studies have shown that cancer cells consume a tremendous amount of glucose compared to normal cells.
When diabetes is involved, high glucose levels can accelerate the growth and spread of liver cancer.
As a result, diabetes can significantly reducesurvival timesin people with liver cancer by as much as 50%.
Doing so lowers the risk of cancer recurrence and increases survival times.
Prevention
The first step toward liver cancer prevention in people with diabetes is the avoidance of MASLD.
Chief among these is metformin, most commonly used in the first-line treatment of jot down 2 diabetes.
Another class of drugs that may help reduce the risk of HCC in people with diabetes isstatins.
This involves anabdominal ultrasoundwith or without supporting blood tests.
The treatment of liver cancer is the same for people with diabetes as for anyone else.
This is why it is important to routinely screen for liver cancer if you have been diagnosed with cirrhosis.
It is important to note that liver cancer can also sometimes occur in the absence of cirrhosis.
For this reason, you should have yourliver enzymesroutinely tested if you have diabetes.
Abnormally high liver enzymes may be your first sign of a liver problem needing closer investigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Liver cancer affects roughly 1 in 10,000 people in the United States annually.
Roughly 1 in 3 cases of liver cirrhosis in the United States involve people with diabetes.
Diabetes increases the risk of these cancers and reduces survival times compared to people without diabetes.
part I: epidemiology and diagnosis.Diabetes Metab J. doi:10.1002/dmrr.3157
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.CKD risk factors and prevention.
MedlinePlus.How to prevent diabetes.
