Association Between Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Risk of Overall and Site-Specific Cancers (Pancreatic, Liver, Thyroid, Lung): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

TL;DR

This study finds that gestational diabetes increases the risk of overall cancer and specific cancers like pancreatic, thyroid, and liver cancer.

Contribution

The study provides a meta-analysis of GDM's association with cancer risks, including site-specific findings.

Findings

GDM is associated with a 16% increased risk of overall cancer.

GDM is linked to a 280% higher risk of pancreatic cancer.

GDM increases thyroid and liver cancer risks by 21% and 33%, respectively.

Abstract

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common endocrine and metabolic disorder during pregnancy. However, current studies have not reached a consensus on the correlation between GDM and the risk of developing cancers. Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to comprehensively evaluate the association between GDM and the risk of overall cancer and cancers at specific sites (pancreatic cancer, thyroid cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer). Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases from the establishment of the databases to 16 January 2025. Two researchers independently assessed the quality of the included studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and extracted relevant data. Data were analyzed using STATA Version 17.0. Results: This systematic review and meta-analysis included a total of 8 studies involving 1,936,836 participants. We calculated the pooled hazard ratio (HR) to evaluate the association, and the results showed that the pooled HR for overall cancer risk was 1.16 (95%CI: 1.04–1.28), indicating a significant increase in the risk of overall malignancies among patients with GDM. GDM was also significantly associated with the risk of pancreatic cancer (HR = 2.80; 95%CI: 1.20–6.55), thyroid cancer (HR = 1.21; 95%CI: 1.08–1.36), and liver cancer (HR = 1.33; 95%CI: 1.10–1.61). Additionally, the association between GDM and lung cancer was close to being statistically significant (HR = 1.19; 95%CI: 0.98–1.44). Conclusion: Our study suggests that GDM is associated with an increased risk of overall cancer, as well as pancreatic cancer, thyroid cancer, and liver cancer.

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