The Relationship of Type 2 Diabetes, Oral Diabetes Medications, and Insulin Therapy to Risk for Breast Cancer

The interaction between type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and breast cancer has become an important focus of research. DM appears to increase the risk of breast cancer and to negatively impact on breast cancer prognosis and screening. While evidence suggests that DM medications can modulate the relationship between DM and cancer, relatively few studies have specifically examined the association between medication exposure and breast cancer risk. Current evidence suggests that insulin plays a central role in the relationship between DM and breast cancer, but that other shared risk factors such as oxidative stress and inflammation may also contribute significantly. Further research is necessary to better understand the mechanisms underlying the relationship between DM and breast cancer and to fully realize the modulating effects of medication exposure.