The University of Hong Kong on Wednesday said diabetes patients can lower the risk of getting colorectal and liver cancers, the second and fifth most common in the SAR, by controlling their blood glucose levels.

The Faculty of Medicine conducted two territory-wide analyses using 17 years of Hospital Authority data involving 140,000 diabetes patients.

It found that by controlling blood glucose levels, such patients can lower the chances of getting colorectal cancer by 28 percent, and liver cancer by 30 percent.

"Cancer cells, when they have a lot of sugar around them, they are able to grow faster. This is in essence the way which patients with diabetes, if it is poorly controlled, they will have an increase risk of both bowel cancer and liver cancer," explained the university's Dr Walter Seto, who led the project.

Speaking at a media briefing, Seto added that those with diabetes are twice as likely to get these cancers compared with healthy individuals.

Meanwhile, Dr Paul Lee, who specialises in endocrinology and diabetes, told RTHK that patients can improve their blood glucose levels through a good diet and more exercise.