Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Many epidemiological studies show a correlation between the risk of cancer and type 2 diabetes mellitus in various populations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The material was obtained from the database of the National Health Fund. This publication presents a comparison of the incidence of new malignancies in rural and urban populations of diabetic patients in Poland based on the database of the National Health Fund for the period between 1.05.2008 and 30.09.2014. RESULTS: Comparison of the mean incidence of selected malignancies in diabetic patients in the population analysed indicated significant differences between the incidence rate in the urban and rural populations (p < 0.001). The mean incidence of gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, kidney cancer, brain tumours and leukaemia in both sexes was significantly higher in rural areas compared to urban. The mean incidence of oesophageal cancer and pancreatic cancer in females was significantly higher among in the urban population compared to the rural areas (p < 0.001). No differences in the incidence rate of these neoplasms were observed in men (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, laryngeal cancer, lung cancer, testicular cancer, kidney cancer, lung cancer, lymphocytic leukaemia and myeloid leukaemia is higher in diabetic males in rural areas than the incidence in the urban population. The incidence of the malignancies liver cancer, malignant skin melanoma, malignant skin, prostate cancer, urinary bladder cancer and multiple myeloma in male diabetic patients living in urban areas is higher than the incidence in rural areas.