THE RISK OF ENDOMETRIAL CANCER IN DIABETIC AND HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS - A NATIONWIDE RECORD-LINKAGE STUDY IN FINLAND

The risk of endometrial cancer (EC) in diabetics and hypertensives was studied as part of the planning of a trial of the efficacy of screeni ng for EC. Two nationwide registers, the Finnish Cancer Registry and t he Social Insurance Institution's (SII) population register, were link ed to obtain 1 715 EC patients diagnosed during 1970-1974 with individ ually matched controls. Data on the right for state-reimbursed medicat ion for diabetes or hypertension prior to the case's cancer diagnosis was obtained from the SII's population register and was used as indica tor of the diseases in question. Diabetes was a strong and hypertensio n a relatively weak risk factor for EC. The relative risk for the asso ciation of EC with diabetes was 4.1 (95% confidence limits 2.7 and 6.9 ) and with hypertension 1.6 (95% confidence limits 1.3 and 2.1). Diabe tics and hypertensives are identifiable risk groups for EC in Finland. Diabetics form a suitable target population for a trial of the effica cy of screening for EC.