Common Risk Factors for Colorectal Cancer and Diabetes
People who have type 2 diabetes have a significantly higher risk of developing several types of cancer — including colorectal, liver, pancreatic, uterine, breast and bladder — when compared to the general population.
“The risk factors for colorectal cancer, and several other types of cancer for that matter, are similar to the risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These include obesity — which has become a real epidemic in our country — physical inactivity, poor diet, smoking and excessive alcohol,” says Darrell Gray, II, MD, MPH, an OSUCCC – James gastroenterologist and the deputy director of the James Center for Cancer Health Equity.
Holding many roles at the OSUCCC – James and in the community, Gray is passionate about educating anyone and everyone — especially higher-risk populations — about healthy lifestyles. These populations include certain minority groups (based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and disability), as well as people who live in lower socioeconomic settings and have limited access to proper medical care and screenings.
“First, we focus on fostering relationships with the people we’re hoping to educate and subsequently link to services,” Gray says. “What I’ve learned over the years is that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. It’s also important that we engage people in places where they feel most comfortable. We focus on educating in the communities in which people reside.”
Common Risk Factors
Many of the risk factors for cancer and type 2 diabetes are the same, and some are lifestyle choices that can be changed.
Age: The risks for cancer and type 2 diabetes increase as a person ages.
Gender: Men have a higher cancer risk, and a slightly higher diabetes risk.
Race/Ethnicity: African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics/Latinos and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders have higher risks of developing type 2 diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.
Overweight and Inactivity: These factors increase the risks of cancer and type 2 diabetes, while regular physical exercise reduces those risks.
Smoking: Smoking is linked to several types of cancer, most notably lung cancer. Studies suggest that smoking is also a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.
Alcohol: More than one drink a day for women, and more than two per day for men, increases cancer and type 2 diabetes risk.
Reducing colorectal cancer
About 55 percent of all colorectal cancers are attributable to lifestyle choices, such as the ones listed above, according to the American Cancer Society. Other factors are “high consumption of red or processed meat, low calcium intake, heavy alcohol consumption and very low intake of fruits and vegetables and whole-grain fiber,” according to the American Cancer Society.
“Overall, we’re seeing the number of colorectal cases going down,” Gray says, adding that this is due in large part to the growing number of people utilizing screenings, such as colonoscopies. This efficient screening process detects pre-cancerous polyps that can be easily removed before they develop into cancerous tumors.
“However, we’re seeing more and more young people below the age range of recommended screening being diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and this may be linked to increasing obesity and diabetes in this population,” Gray says.
More than 34 million Americans have diabetes, and of those, approximately 90 to 95 percent have type 2. “Type 2 diabetes most often develops in people over age 45, but more and more children, teens and young adults are also developing it,” according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Reaching out to the community
To help central Ohioans learn best practices for the prevention of colorectal cancer and diabetes, and to maintain overall health, Gray started Creating Healthier Communities Through Meaningful Partnerships: A Model From the National African American Male Wellness Initiative – Ohio State Partnership along with Timiya Nolan, PhD, an assistant professor of nursing, Joshua Joseph, MD, an assistant professor of internal medicine and James Odei, PhD, an assistant professor of biostatistics.
This research study focuses on, educates and follows 100 central Ohio African-American men. “We focus on the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7,” Gray explains. “That’s healthy eating, smoking cessation, lowering blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, improving blood glucose, weight and exercise. We partner with these men to improve their lifestyle choices and habits so they’ll be healthier, have a better quality of life, feel better on a daily basis and be around to see their grandchildren and maybe even their great-grandchildren.
“I talk about how I never got to meet my dad’s dad, my grandfather. He had a stroke and passed away when my dad was quite young.”