Chasing Diabetes' Connection To Pancreatic Cancer

Diabetes and pancreatic cancer affect the same organ, but they have more in common than just their location. People who have one of these conditions are also more likely to have the other one.
About 30 million Americans have diabetes. Pancreatic cancer is diagnosed in nearly 54,000 people each year, and it's the third-leading cause of cancer-related death. Most people aren't diagnosed until their cancer has already spread and is harder to treat.
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Pancreatic cancer has gained attention from the diagnoses of several prominent figures, including Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who was diagnosed in 2003 and died Oct. 5, 2011. Jobs had an islet cell neuroendocrine tumor, a rare form of the disease. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and actor Patrick Swayze have also faced pancreatic cancer. Swayze died in 2009. The lifetime risk of pancreatic cancer is about 1 in 65.
Researchers have been looking at the link between diabetes and pancreatic cancer for many years. Now they're trying to use this connection to diagnose pancreatic cancer earlier, when treatment is more likely to improve survival.
Diabetes is both a risk for, and a warning sign of, pancreatic cancer. "The relationship goes both ways," says Lynn Matrisian, PhD, chief science officer of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
Researchers don't know exactly why, but people who have had diabetes for several years are slightly more likely to get pancreatic cancer than those without diabetes.
Pancreatic cancer can also cause diabetes. About half of people with pancreatic cancer have high blood sugar. When the Continue reading

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Monogenic Diabetes (Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus & MODY)

The most common forms of diabetes, type 1 and type 2, are polygenic, meaning they are related to a change, or defect, in multiple genes. Environmental factors, such as obesity in the case of type 2 diabetes, also play a part in the development of polygenic forms of diabetes. Polygenic forms of diabetes often run in families. Doctors diagnose polygenic forms of diabetes by testing blood glucose, also known as blood sugar, in individuals with risk factors or symptoms of diabetes.
Genes provide the instructions for making proteins within the cell. If a gene has a change or mutation, the protein may not function properly. Genetic mutations that cause diabetes affect proteins that play a role in the ability of the body to produce insulin or in the ability of insulin to lower blood glucose. People typically have two copies of most genes, with one gene inherited from each parent.
What are monogenic forms of diabetes?
Some rare forms of diabetes result from mutations or changes in a single gene and are called monogenic. In the United States, monogenic forms of diabetes account for about 1 to 4 percent of all cases of diabetes.1,2,3,4 In most cases of monogenic diabetes, the gene mutation is inherited from one or both parents. Sometimes the gene mutation develops spontaneously, meaning that the mutation is not carried by either of the parents. Most mutations that cause monogenic diabetes reduce the body’s ability to produce insulin, a protein produced in the pancreas that helps the body use glucose for energy.
Neonatal diabetes mellitus (NDM) and maturity-onset diabetes of the you Continue reading

Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY)

Maturity-onset diabetes of the young or MODY is considered by many physicians and researchers to be a subset of Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and is often misdiagnosed as T2D.[1] Some estimates are that over 90% of MODY patients are misdiagnosed as having T2D because many physicians are not aware of the distinctions.[2] About 1-2% of all diabetes cases can be considered MODY. The terminology currently used can be confusing because MODY and T2D are very similar and the distinctions are still being studied. For example, there are least six different genes that when mutated or damaged can cause a form of MODY. However, only three are officially recognized as forms of MODY (MODY1, MODY2 and MODY3—see below). The others are not universally recognized. There are some distinct characteristics of MODY that can differentiate it from other forms of diabetes, but these are not often recognized as well because of the rarity of the conditions. These distinctions can be important because the different types of MODY respond better to different treatments.
The Basics
MODY is caused by a change in a single gene (monogenic) and can be passed from parent to child. Currently, there are 6 known genes that, when mutated or altered, can cause MODY. These genes are called:[3]
HNF4A (MODY1): This is the gene that codes for a protein known as Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor-4 Alpha gene. The protein produced by this gene switches other genes on and off. Babies with this mutation are often born with macrosomia—they are larger than normal (over 9 pounds). They also may have low blood sugar early in life. Adults Continue reading

Calls to address 'staggering' number of Australians losing limbs to diabetes

What began as a pin-hole sized lesion on the bottom of Alan Tillotson's foot quickly turned into a nasty infection, leading to the amputation of his leg.
Like many people with diabetes, the 65-year-old country Victorian truck driver isn't quite sure how the wound first developed.
It might have been something as minor as a small stone in his thong.
But poor circulation meant the tiny ulcer would not heal, and quickly turned into to a much larger problem.
"I was first diagnosed with diabetes when I went to have my eyes checked," he said.
"It wasn't until four years later, two years ago, that all the ulcers started. I'd come into hospital, they'd keep me in for three or four weeks. These ulcers kept on flaring up.
"The last ulcer affected the bone ... so it was either get rid of it earlier, or lose the whole leg completely."
Having already had his toes removed, Mr Tillotson decided to have his leg removed beneath the knee to prevent further spread.
His surgery is one of just an estimated 4,400 diabetes-related amputations occurring in Australia each year.
"It's a staggering number," Diabetes Australia CEO Greg Johnson said.
"Today in Australian hospitals, around 12 people will undergo a diabetes-related amputation ... it's something that's not understood by the public, and we really need to do more, because most of this is preventable."
According to Diabetes Australia, the problem is on the rise, and is the focus of this year's National Diabetes Week campaign.
People who have type 1 and type 2 diabetes are at risk.
However, there is no formal national reporting system to monit Continue reading

Posters: Stay super. Beat diabetes

WHO designed these posters for use around the world during this year's World Health Day on 7 April. The campaign will focus on the rising tide of diabetes worldwide.
Halt the rise
More and more people are getting diabetes around the world. The increase is in great part driven by rising levels of overweight and obesity and physical inactivity, including among children.
A healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in sugar and saturated fats can help prevent Type 2 diabetes, and also help people to manage Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes if they have it.
Being physically active – through at least 30 minutes of regular, moderate-intensity activity on most days – can help prevent Type 2 diabetes and its complications, as well as help people to better manage Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes if they have it.
If in doubt, check!
Symptoms for diabetes include thirst, hunger, weight loss, fatigue and blurred vision. However, many people who have diabetes do not have symptoms. If people think they might have the disease, consulting a health-care professional is recommended.
Follow medical advise
A range of treatments exists to manage diabetes and control blood glucose, including through eating healthy, being active, taking prescribed medication, controlling blood pressure, and avoiding tobacco use. People with diabetes can live well if they follow a treatment plan developed together with their health-care provider.
World Health Day roll-ups
Halt the rise
Be active
Eat healthy
Follow medical advice
If in doubt, check!
Follow medical advice
pdf, 11.23Mb Continue reading