Impaired Glucose Tolerance and its Association to Oral Cancer

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a serious and leading health problem worldwide and is associated with severe acute and chronic complications that negatively influence both the quality of life and survival of affected persons. Growing epidemiologic evidence suggests that people with diabetes are at significantly greater risk for cancer in general and recent studies also demonstrated that glucose intolerance was associated with a higher risk of oral cancer death, beginning in the prediabetic range of glucose intolerance. Aim:We undertook this study with the aim of finding out an association between impaired glucose tolerance and oral cancer along with finding out prevalence of other risk factors for oral cancer. Subjects and Methods:45 cases and 45 controls were selected for the study. Oral glucose tolerance was performed on subjects who satisfied inclusion criteria and were willing to sign informed consent form. Results and Conclusion:Fifty three percent of the cases had abnormal glucose tolerance as compared to Thirty one percent of the controls. It was statistically significant with a p value of 0.032. To conclude, hyperglycemia (which includes IFG, IGT and diabetes) increase the risk of oral cancer two folds, however Impaired Glucose tolerance alone as defined by ADA does not appear to play a role.