The benefits of using insulin to treat diabetes far outweigh the risks, but a new review suggests that people with diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes, may face an increased risk of cancer and that their cancer may be modified by treatment choices. The review showed that: diabetic patients are 30 percent more likely to develop colorectal cancer and have an 82 percent higher risk of pancreatic cancer. Female diabetics face a 20 percent greater risk of breast cancer.