Diabetes and cancer: Optimising glycaemic control

Diabetes and cancer are both common and increasingly prevalent conditions, but emerging epidemiological evidence confirms that the risk of developing a number of common cancers is increased in those with type 2 diabetes. The risk of cancer in type 1 diabetes is less clearly defined, and therefore this review focuses on type 2 diabetes. Emerging evidence also supports an influence of diabetes on outcomes of cancer treatment. However, this relationship is bi-directional, with cancer and its treatment impacting on glucose control, whereas there is also emerging evidence indicating that diabetes care can deteriorate after a cancer diagnosis. Despite these clear links, there is a lack of evidence to guide clinicians in how to manage patients with diabetes during their cancer treatment. Although recent UK guidelines have started to address this, with the development of guidance for the management of hyperglycaemia in cancer, there is a clear need for wider guidance on the management of multi-morbidity during cancer, including diabetes and obesity, to incorporate nutritional management. We have therefore undertaken a narrative review of the evidence of links between type 2 diabetes and cancer incidence and outcomes, and discuss the challenges to diabetes care during cancer treatment.