ASSOCIATION OF DIABETES MELLITUS TYPE 2 AND ANTIDIABETIC DRUGS WITH PANCREATIC CARCINOMA: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer has a high mortality rate and its diagnosis has often been associated with that of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DMT2), although the pathophysiological mechanisms of this relationship still require clarification. Thus, the aim of this study is to analyze aspects of the association between DMT2 and its pharmacological therapy with the development of pancreatic carcinoma. To this purpose, a thorough search of the literature published between 2015 and 2020 in electronic health databases was carried out, and, after the selection process, 13 articles on BHS and 14 on PUBMED were included in this study. In summary, the inflammatory characteristic of DMT2, hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance are pathophysiological hypotheses of the association. Furthermore, the relationship between long-term diabetes and the development of carcinoma is significant, although recent onset diabetes is also demonstrated to be relevant. In addition, the association between antidiabetic drugs and pancreatic cancer is assessed. In this regard, some drugs, such as metformin, are associated with antitumor effects. In contrast, incretins are related to carcinogenesis, due to their potential deleterious effects on the pancreas. In parallel, insulin can amplify the relationship between hyperinsulinemia and the risk of malignancy, as well as drugs such as sulfonylureas, which are associated with an increased risk of cancer for causing abnormal stimulation of cell proliferation.