Background: There is evidence to suggest that diabetes may increase the risk of incidence and mortality from cancer.
Methods: In a cohort study using record-linkage health-care datasets for Tayside, Scotland in 1993-2004, we followed up 9577 newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes, and two matched non-diabetic comparators, in the national cancer register.
Results and conclusions: The risk ratio for any cancer, adjusted for deprivation, was 0.99 (95%CI 0.90-1.09). Significantly increased risks were observed for pancreatic, liver and colon cancer.