Women who had gestational diabetes when pregnant may be at greater risk of developing pancreatic cancer, according to a new study that is the first to link the two diseases.
Previous studies have shown that people with Type 2 diabetes face increased risk of pancreatic cancer. But the authors say no one has ever drawn a link to gestational diabetes, which develops during pregnancy and is associated with pregnancy weight gain.
Those with gestational diabetes often go on to develop Type 2 diabetes, which is caused when the body fails to properly process insulin, made in the pancreas.
In the study in BMC Medicine, researchers led by Mary Perrin of New York University's School of Medicine, traced health records of nearly 40,000 women who gave birth between 1964 and 1976 in Jerusalem.
The study found that of 410 women diagnosed with gestational diabetes in one or more pregnancies, five developed pancreatic cancer during 28 to 40 years of follow-up.
There were 137 women with Type 1 diabetes at the time of delivery, but none of them were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer during follow-up, the researchers said.
The researchers were unable to control for smoking history and body mass index, all potential limitations.
Perrin noted that the absolute risk of developing pancreatic cancer was very low, but noted that the findings are statistically significant and merit further study.
She added that the findings are important because gestational diabetes appears to be increasing as obesity rates rise.
"If the results of the current study are confirmed, then it would be expected that the incidence of pancreatic cancer could increase," her team wrote.
Only about five per cent of pancreatic cancer patients survive for five years because it is often diagnosed late in its development.
