Eureka! Institutional Repository

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease that is treated with either antidiabetic tablets, insulin or a combination of both. Over half of people with DM will need surgery at least once, and surgery is considered the treatment of choice for cancer in general and gastrointestinal cancer in particular. Diabetes mellitus and cancer of the gastrointestinal tract share some common etiological factors, which makes people with DM more likely to develop cancer cells, since the latter are characterised by an increased intake of glucose. Also the risk of postoperative complications is higher in people with DM. The aim of this study is to investigate the existence of a difference in postoperative complications in people with type 2 DM and gastrointestinal cancer who are taking antidiabetic tablets and people who are taking insulin therapy. The sample consists of 130 people diagnosed with DM2 and gastrointestinal cancer and receiving either antidiabetic tablets, insulin, or both. Statistical analysis showed that postoperative complications were independent of the type of antidiabetic treatment (p=0.10) and the type of surgery (p=0.59), and a statistically significant association was found between CA 19.9 after surgery and the risk of postoperative complications (p=0.02). In conclusion, it is important to identify early the predictors that may lead to postoperative complications and to treat them as early as possible.