Diabetes Type 1 Support Group

Oh this was indeed a very interesting read. I hadn't heard of a cancer link before but then again so many of the drugs I am on proclaim they may increase the risk of cancer!

In a way I would hope this type of news makes insulin pumping more readily available to people who could proclaim fear of the increase risk and wish to avoid it by being on only rapid acting insulin's. I'd hope it to open the door but not force people through it for insulin pumping as I know many people have a hard time getting approve for it.

For me I found Lantus only remained in my system for 18 hours instead of 24. It left me 6 hours shy of much needed coverage that I ended up compensating for with my dinner time short acting insulin. At times when I had plans I actually ended up giving an extra shot of short acting at night to cover the gap when it didn't coincide with my meal time. It was a pain in time management but doable.

Instead I had much more flexibility with NPH as it lasted only 14 hours in me. It made it easier to have a different amount in me at night then day and I had about a two hour wiggle room as to when I HAD to get my second shot in.

To top it off Lantus had not been tested in pregnant women at the time (has it been approved for use in them now?) and so I had to get off it any way for the baby planning I was doing.

So I won't be totally saddened if they do show proof that it indeed increases the risk of cancer (even though I had been on it for about 18 months) but true impact to me will be minimal (especially since like I said I have so many other drugs I take that increase cancer risks I can't pin it to those 18 months on Lantus).

Hey thanks for posting this eye opening news!

Thanks for the heads up. I followed it on the internet but so far, I haven't heard anything on the news here. (USA) Thanks again.
Annie

Very sensible advice from Diabetes Uk about this: http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-t...

"What was the research looking at?
Four articles published last week in 'Diabetologia – The Journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes' – looked at the risk of cancer largely in people with Type 2 diabetes treated with insulin, particularly glargine insulin (Lantus).

The studies in the articles were based in Germany, Sweden, Scotland and the UK. In total, the data of 301,136 people treated with insulin was reviewed for the studies, of which 34,392 were taking glargine insulin (Lantus) alone.

What were the findings?
The first study, from Germany, suggested that there might be a small increase in the risk of cancer in those taking glargine as their only insulin. The strongest link seemed to be with breast cancer in older people.

This small increase in risk appeared in two of the other three studies as well, and seemed to be more so in people on high doses. It should be stated firmly that the evidence was not conclusive.

Why is the evidence not conclusive?
There are limitations with the research undertaken, mainly that the studies were observational and not clinical trials. It is important to recognise this difference. Observational studies can not tell cause and effect.

Clinical trials, however, ensure that people studied have all the same characteristics such as age, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and the only difference is the treatment they are on. This means researchers can compare effects of treatment alone.

People in observational studies such as these may have many differing characteristics. These biases and differing characteristics are usually accounted for but in this case there is some doubt in the way that some of the trials corrected for these biases.

This means that researchers cannot be sure that the link is due to the insulin and not the differing characteristics. The link found between glargine insulin and breast cancer was not conclusive as the numbers in the studies were too small.

What does this mean for people with diabetes?
The concerns raised by these studies only relate to glargine insulin when used alone, particularly in older people. It is also important to note that these studies were not conducted in children and there is currently no evidence of increased risk in children.

What does Diabetes UK advise to people using glargine insulin?
Diabetes UK would strongly advise people who are using glargine insulin to continue to take their medication as prescribed. You will become very ill if you stop taking your insulin.

If you are concerned about these findings then you should speak to your healthcare team about your anxieties before discontinuing any treatment. There are alternative insulins that can be used.

Diabetes UK will be looking at guidance and a lead from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and to the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) when it comes to what insulin should be prescribed to people with diabetes to ensure the best possible outcome for them.

The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has stated that the relationship between glargine insulin and cancer cannot be confirmed or excluded and suggests that further studies are needed. They advise that people using glargine insulin should continue their usual treatment.

What if I have a strong family history of breast cancer?
If you are a woman with diabetes who has a strong family history of breast cancer, you do have the option of changing your insulin as does everyone – see your doctor if you would like more information.

What if I have cancer and I am using glargine?
Insulin itself is a very safe form of treatment and is vital for people with diabetes. No medication would be permitted to be prescribed unless proven safe by the regulatory bodies in the UK. There is a rigorous process in place for this. Do not stop taking your insulin without discussing it with your healthcare team first".