Breast Cancer Advice Center

Connection between Breast Cancer and Diabetes?

I have breast cancer (stage 3, invasive). Had the surgery, radiation, and done the chemotherapy (4 rounds AC, 4 rounds taxotere, 18 hercepten ~ I have 5 more herceptin treatments to go). My markers are coming down, slowly but surely. I'm over weight, but not that much. I don't have a family history of diabetes, and have recently been diagnosed with diabetes. The tests so far have indicated that my pacreas is not making enough insulin. My diet does NOT contain a lot of carbs or sugars, and in fact since I was diagnosed with cancer, my diet has included a lot of organic foods (fruit, veggies & organic meat & chicken). I'm also a positive person. I had some weight loss, especially since radiation ended 4 months ago. The symptoms that prompted the tests for elevated blood sugars, was neuropathy in my feet (usually a later effect of diabetes). Anyone know about the connection between the cancer and the diabetes? Caused by the chemo perhaps? or just wishful thinking?

Public Comments

1. Do you use steriods, such as prednisone? That can cause diabetes.
2. There is probably no direct connection, but your cancer medication may have a negative effect on your pancreas function.
   
   For diet, I highly recommend that you read the South Beach Diet book. When he talks about carbs and insulin, it makes a great deal of sense when you hear that the typical western diet leads to a pre-diabetic condition. This book and others like it will revolutionize the AMA thinking on nutrition. Too late for us, but maybe future generations will eat right.
   
   Good luck with your treatments
3. No one knows all the side effects involved with the many drugs out there except the big pharm boys and they won't tell.
   
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4. Diabetes can be out of a heriditary history, but it isa desease of behaviour and habits. Once touched you should follow strict and continuous systems to live peacefully with it. The only worry between cancer and diabetes is the interference of diabetes drugs with Chemo or Radio therapies and even Interferon. This you need a high caliber diabetes specialist to guide in coordination with your cancer surgeon or Physician