Recent research has suggested that those cancer sufferers who have type 2 diabetes are 50% more likely to die in a month following surgery related to the cancer. In particular, it was those diabetics who had esophageal cancers and colorectal cancers that were seen to be most at risk according to John Hopkins researchers.
Co-author of the study, Hsin-Chieh “Jessica” Yeh, was of the view that the cancer assumed central significance when diagnosed, and the fact of the person also being diabetic tended to be overlooked. According to her, the focus seemed to shift to cancer care and not enough attention was paid to keeping the diabetes in check.
It was pointed out by Dr. Martin S. Karpeh Jr., chairman of surgery at Beth Israel Medical Center and director of surgical oncology at Continuum Cancer Centers of New York, that when undergoing any kind of surgery it was dangerous for a patient to be having heightened blood sugar levels.
It is therefore this combination of factors; the surgery plus elevated blood sugar levels that was seen to be responsible for people with diabetes being more likely to die after cancer surgery. This finding confirms earlier studies on the subject.
The lesson we learn from this is that it is vital for those with diabetes to maintain good health going into any kind of surgery when you are diabetic.
Source: HealthDay
