My cousin has cancer and Type 2 diabetes. How to manage it?

Question

Hello doctor,

My cousin has been suffering from breast cancer for the past eight months. Her diabetes is at the borderline. So she is taking care of that through diet, but not taking any medication.

What types of foods are good for controlling diabetes?
In the case of type 2 diabetes, will that affect her radiation, which is going to happen next week?
How to treat type 2 diabetes in a patient with triple-negative breast cancer?

She almost completed her eight chemotherapy cycles two weeks ago. She is also suffering from anal fissures and a growth in the anal region. My questions are -

Is this pile a kind of growth aggravated by diabetes?
How can she control her sugar level through diet?

Please help.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

It is essential to focus on foods that help stabilize blood sugar. Choosing low glycemic index (GI) foods can prevent rapid spikes in blood sugar, while avoiding processed and sugary foods helps keep levels steady.

Diabetes itself does not directly interfere with radiation therapy. It is crucial to keep her blood sugar levels stable during treatment because uncontrolled blood sugar can:

1. Delayed healing.

2. Increase the risk of infections.

3. Make her more vulnerable to side effects during and after radiation.

Anal fissures and the growth in the anal region could be aggravated by diabetes. High blood sugar can slow wound healing and increase the risk of infections, which might make her fissures more painful or difficult to heal. The growth should be evaluated by her doctor.

Below are some tips to control blood sugar through diet:

1. Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day to keep blood sugar stable.

2. Portion control is important.

3. Drinking plenty of water.

A physical examination by an endocrinologist and oncologist in a hospital is a must.

I hope this information helps you.

Get well soon, and feel free to follow up with any more questions.

Regards.