Importance of Glycemic Control in Cancer Patients with Diabetes: Treatment through End of Life

Abstract

Cancer patients with diabetes are at increased risk for developing infections, being hospitalized, and requiring chemotherapy reductions or stoppages. While it has been hypothesized that glycemic control increases the risk for these adverse events, few studies have explored this hypothesis. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the importance of glycemic control in patients with diabetes and cancer during treatment through end of life. Glycemic control was found to play a role; the overall level of health-related quality of life experienced by patients with cancer and diabetes, level of symptom severity experienced and can impact the overall survival of the individual. Evidence-based policies and practice guidelines also need to be developed to help clinicians manage these patients during all phases of care. Using diabetes educators and advance practice, nurses to provide management and care coordination services need to be considered. Survivorship care plans should address both cancer and diabetes management. Finally, glycemic control should continue through end of life, with the main goal of avoiding hypoglycemic events.

Keywords: Cancer; chemotherapy; diabetes; end of life; glycemic control; survivorship.