Diabetes and Cancer – double challenges?
Around 1 in 5 people with cancer also have diabetes. Those living with both conditions may die earlier than those with cancer without diabetes. The reasons for this have not been well studied, making it hard to know how to treat people with both conditions during and after their cancer treatment.
The risk of developing other complications of diabetes is reduced by lowering blood glucose levels to near normal. It is not known if this will improve the outcome for those with diabetes and cancer. This is especially important as avoiding high glucose levels can be very challenging during cancer treatment. This is partly due to the challenges of living with cancer and its treatment (for example reduced appetite, nausea, recovering from surgery). However, a number of treatments used to treat cancer, especially steroids, which are commonly used with chemotherapy, can increase glucose levels.
For many people with both conditions, targeting near-normal glucose levels would need frequent home blood testing and often insulin injections, which would add to the burden of treatment. We therefore need to prove this is of benefit before recommending this approach. Indeed, recent UK guidelines recommend aiming for glucose targets much higher than usual during cancer treatment, to reduce symptoms and risk of admission to hospital, because we do not know if aiming for the same glucose levels that would be targeted in usual long-term diabetes treatment helps.
We need to understand what questions about the impact of diabetes on cancer and its treatment are most important to people with diabetes. We also want to seek your views on how you would like your diabetes care during cancer treatment and perspectives on testing glucose levels in those at risk of diabetes to see if they get high glucose levels during their cancer treatment.
If you would like to help shape the future care for those living with both diabetes and cancer please consider taking part in a survey at the Cancer Patient Voices Website, and signing up to ensure that people with diabetes get their voice heard in other cancer research and improvement projects.
Living with Diabetes and Cancer: A Call for Your Voice
Living with both cancer and diabetes can be a double burden, affecting around 1 in 5 people with cancer. Unfortunately, those coping with both conditions may face higher mortality rates compared to those dealing with cancer alone. Despite this, the intersection of diabetes and cancer treatment remains an underexplored territory, leaving many questions unanswered.
We know that keeping blood glucose levels near normal can reduce the risk of other diabetes complications. However, it remains uncertain if this strategy benefits individuals with both diabetes and cancer. Cancer treatment itself poses significant challenges, from reduced appetite and nausea to the aftermath of surgery. Moreover, certain cancer treatments, especially steroids used alongside chemotherapy, can spike glucose levels.
Striving for near-normal glucose levels for these patients often means frequent home blood testing and insulin injections, adding to their treatment burden. Current UK guidelines suggest aiming for tighter glucose control than normal during cancer treatment, in order to prevent symptoms (such as thirst and urinary frequency) and reduce hospital admissions. This approach raises the question: is there an actual benefit in targeting the lower glucose levels seen in long-term diabetes during cancer treatment? Your insights are crucial. We need to understand what aspects of diabetes and cancer treatment matter most to you. How would you prefer to manage your diabetes during cancer treatment? Should we test glucose levels in cancer patients at risk of diabetes to identify those experiencing high glucose levels during their treatment?
To shape future care for individuals living with both diabetes and cancer, we invite you to participate in a survey at the Cancer Patient Voices Website. By signing up, you can ensure that your voice is heard in cancer research and improvement projects, helping to pave the way for better care and outcomes.
