“A number of studies have demonstrated that hyperglycaemia is prognostic of worse overall survival (OS) and risk of recurrence in a number of cancer subtypes.
A meta-analysis comprising 9872 non-diabetic cancer patients showed that patients with hyperglycaemia had significantly worse disease- free survival (hazard ratio (HR) 1.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20-3.27) compared to normo-glycaemic patients (1). Studies in patients with breast cancer (2) and colorectal cancer (3) indicate that hyperglycaemia and metabolic syndrome are associated with chemotherapy resistance, independently of whether there is a diagnosis of diabetes.
These findings highlight the importance of good glycaemic control during cancer treatment due to a direct impact on treatment efficacy.
The UK Chemotherapy Board and Joint British Diabetes Society have produced guidance recommending good glycaemic control durin cancer treatment (4). The guideline recommends treating diabetes in cancer patients as a special circumstance, with the aim of improving treatment outcomes. Please find further details on recommended treatment regime at etc, etc.”
This was attached to my copy of a letter to my GP. I have never previously had any diabetic type problems, this is quite new. Research I carried out last year had already given me a hint that sugar was not good if you had cancer and that raised sugars could cause interference with treatment. I asked about it and was summarily dismissed by my oncologist as if I was being some sort of crank. Ignored her anyway and reduced my sugar intake. Why do they do this? I had found this info on legitimate academic sites but they behave as if we’re children and don’t have any of their knowledge so can’t make a decision. I’m pretty cross about it. Please folk get on to your oncologists and make a noise about this. What is the point in going through this horrid treatment if something is preventing it working properly?
LL
To my understanding hyperglycemia is raised glucose in the bloodstream. It’s caused because your insulin levels aren’t high enough to process it appropriately. It can lead to diabetes if it’s a chronic issue. But high glucose levels is caused by more than just eating sugar. Technically it’s eating food with a high glycemic index, foods like white bread, mashed potatoes, processed foods, cheeseburgers, etc). Hyperglycemia is also caused by certain drugs. For instance chemotherapy so if you’re going through that it could be definitely be a factor if you see raised glucose levels. It’s also caused by aging. Many menopausal women start having issues with it and one of the things they like to due for breast cancer patients if of course put us in menopause if we’re not already there. Personally right now I’m trying to follow a low carb diet in order to keep my glucose levels stable. No simple sugar foods (except perhaps a little honey when cooking) because that raises it most easily. Essentially it’s the diabetes diet. I had to do it when pregnant because I had gestational diabetes and it worked like a charm then. No more than 4 servings of carb per meal, 2 per snack with a serving equaling 15 grams. I don’t measure too strictly but like last night I served red skinned roasted potatoes with a meal. I only ate four or five and then had one slice of ezekiel bread and drank just water. That was pretty much my carbs except for the small amount of honey I used as a flavoring on the chicken. And remember you do need fruit so even though it may have a high glycemic index eat that for a snack and just watch portion control. And don’t eat more than every two hours so your body has time to process your glucose before you hit it with something else. If watching your diet doesn’t work to get down your glucose levels to a reasonable range there’s always metoformin and that is actually being studied right now due to apparent anti-cancer properties. In fact, I plan to ask my oncologist about it when I go next week. If I have to have chemo it might be a good add on. Or even if I don’t it might be a good idea just to counteract what my hormone therapy does to my body. I’ll see what she says. Anyway just check with your GP and see if they think metoformin might be a possibility since your glucose levels are now borderline. It’s cheap so it wouldn’t cost your health care system much which probably means they’ll consider it.