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Multicenter Study
. 2012 Jan 3;106(1):227-32.
doi: 10.1038/bjc.2011.512. Epub 2011 Nov 29.

A longitudinal study of serum insulin and glucose levels in relation to colorectal cancer risk among postmenopausal women

G C Kabat  1 , M Y Kim, H D Strickler, J M Shikany, D Lane, J Luo, Y Ning, M J Gunter, T E Rohan
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

A longitudinal study of serum insulin and glucose levels in relation to colorectal cancer risk among postmenopausal women

G C Kabat et al. Br J Cancer. .

Abstract

Background: It is unclear whether circulating insulin or glucose levels are associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer. Few prospective studies have examined this question, and only one study had repeated measurements.

Methods: We conducted a prospective study of colorectal cancer risk using the subsample of women in the Women's Health Initiative study whose fasting blood samples, collected at baseline and during follow-up, were analysed for insulin and glucose. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess associations with colorectal cancer risk in both baseline and time-dependent covariates analyses.

Results: Among 4902 non-diabetic women with baseline fasting serum insulin and glucose values, 81 incident cases of colorectal cancer were identified over 12 years of follow-up. Baseline glucose levels were positively associated with colorectal cancer and colon cancer risk: multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) comparing the highest (≥99.5 mg dl(-1)) with the lowest tertile (<89.5 mg dl(-1)): 1.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.97-3.15 and 2.25, 95% CI: 1.12-4.51, respectively. Serum insulin and homeostasis model assessment were not associated with risk. Analyses of repeated measurements supported the baseline results.

Conclusion: These data suggest that elevated serum glucose levels may be a risk factor for colorectal cancer in postmenopausal women.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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