Investigation of Demographic Differences for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients with and Without Type 2 Diabetes

OBJECTIVES: The incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may be higher compared to the general population as there is a likely association with hyperinsulinemia, which is a result of insulin resistance characteristic ofT2D. Insulin's role in cell proliferation through the action of insulinlike growth factor-1, as well as inhibition of apoptosis, could play a significant role in the development of cancerous tissues. Our objective was to characterize the demographic differences in incident NSCLC patients with and without T2D. METHODS: We conducted a cohort study design utilizing Medicare claims from the SEER -Medicare linked database (2007 - 2014). Univariate statistics was completed for descriptive analyses of patient characteristics. We compared NSCLC patients with and without T2D using chi-square test of association. RESULTS: Of 17,176 NSCLC patients, 5,096 patients had T2D in the pre-period (prior to incident NSCLC diagnosis). A greater proportion of NSCLC diabetic patients were males 51% vs.41% (p