Researchers from Vall d'Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), led by Dr. Rafael Simó, head of the Diabetes and Metabolism group, have demonstrated that the glucose-lowering drugs used for the treatment of Diabetes type 2 don't increase the risk of developing cancer. In the study, published in "http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi/10.1371/journal.pone.0079968" PLOS ONE, also participated 16 Primary Health Care centers of Barcelona, the IDIAP Jordi Gol and the Oncology Service at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital. Patients with type 2 diabetes have a greater risk of suffering from three of the leading causes of cancer mortality such as pancreatic, colorectal and breast cancer. Despite both diseases have common risk factors including age, race, ethnicity, obesity, physical inactivity, and tobacco use, the causes of this link are still unknown. The aim of VHIR researchers was to evaluate the impact of glucose-lowering agents in the risk of cancer in a large type 2 diabetic population. More than 275.000 type 2 diabetic patients older than 40 years registered in the SIDIAP (Sistema d'Informació per al Desenvolpament de la Investigació en Atenció Primària) and attending 16 Primary Health Care Centers of Barcelona were studied. From the cohort, they selected 1.040 cases of type 2 diabetes diagnosed with cancer between 2008 and 2010 and registered at the Cancer Registry of Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, which collects data about the diagnosis date, the tumor location and the pathological characteristics. This group of patients was compared with 3.120 case control patients with type 2 diabetes and without cancer. Regarding the treatments, researchers analyzed the different types of insulins and the oral antidiabetic drugs administered to the patients during the previous three years to the cancer diagnosis. No differences observedThe results of the study suggest that the diabetes treatments, including insulin glargine, are not the cause to the risk of developing cancer.According to the principal investigator, Dr. Rafael Simó, "the outcomes of the study are reassuring, because doctors won't have to change their medical underwriting because of the neoplasia risk". However, he assures that further research is needed, and that's why they will start a new study later this year with a longer follow-up.