OBJECTIVES

: To describe the epidemiology of the relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and colorectal cancer (CRC).

METHODS

: We carried out an extensive search strategy in multiple databases in main search engines and scientific journals, using the terms Colorectal Neoplasms, Colonic Neoplasms, Rectal Neoplasms and Diabetes Mellitus. The studies were selected by epidemiological variables: incidence, prevalence, mortality, prognosis, burden of disease and statistical association or not between T2DM and CRC.

RESULTS

: Out of a total of 2600 publications, 150 were selected. The CRC and the T2DM share risk factors and comorbidities and co-exist in millions of people in different latitudes globally. The pre-existing status of T2DM is associated - depending on race- with differential increase in the risk of developing CRC -in its different stages-, it increases the general and specific mortality, and reduces the overall survival and specific to CRC.The pre-existing status of T2DM and the duration of obesity, increase - individual and in combination - the incidence of CRC and the risk of suffering from CRC. Chronic treatment with insulin, reduces the overall and specific survival of colon cancer and increases the appearance of colorectal adenomas in both sexes, mainly in women.

CONCLUSIONS

: T2DM is a negative prognostic factor for CRC, and that, in individuals with CRC and DMT2, effective measures of prevention and treatment of diabetes can substantially reduce mortality from CRC. We suspect the existence of genetic differences and/or epigenetic conditions in Hispanic-Latin Americans, which would confer specific site and sex risk of developing CRC in individuals with T2DM