Diabetics, be wary of the “Big C”. A recent study in Japan, published in Archives of Internal Medicine, concluded that the growth of cancer cells in liver or pancreas may be triggered by the excess insulin of patients with adult-onset diabetes.

The study performed by Tokyo-based National Cancer Center revealed that grown-up diabetic men have up to a 27 percent higher cancer risk than people who don’t have diabetes. The first group is also prone to develop prostate cancer since diabetes is said to have an effect on sex hormones.

The study also found that diabetic women are more likely to acquire cancer, including ovarian cancer, compared to their non-diabetic counterparts.

While diabetes can contribute to the onset of cancer, the researchers said it can also be the other way around because of the close association between the two diseases.diabetes complications.