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      • View 45 other cancers
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    • Managing side effects
      • Fatigue
      • Taste and smell changes
      • Hair loss
      • Pain and cancer
      • Peripheral neuropathy
      • Changes in thinking and memory
      • Lymphoedema
      • Mouth health
      • Nutrition and cancer
      • Breast prostheses and reconstruction
      • Fertility
      • Sexuality
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      • Caring for someone with cancer
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  • Get Support
    Our cancer helpline consultants are ready for your call to support all people impacted by cancer. We may be able to assist with direct support services or by putting you in touch with other people who can support you.
    • 13 11 20 – Speak to a cancer professional
    • How can we help you
      • Accommodation during treatment
      • Cancer Counselling
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      • Legal & Workplace Support
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    • Coping with a diagnosis
      • Coping with emotions
      • Talking to kids about cancer
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    • Cancer stories
    • Cancer podcasts
    • Meditation and relaxation podcasts
  • Preventing Cancer
    Discover lifestyle choices to minimise your risk of getting cancer and the importance of screening and early detection for cancer survival.
    • Healthy diet and exercise
      • Limit alcohol
      • Be a healthy weight
      • Move more, sit less
      • Healthy Made Tasty
      • Our Kids Our Call
    • Quit smoking and vaping
      • Quit smoking
      • Tackling Tobacco
      • Smoke free environments
      • Electronic cigarettes
      • Generation Vape
    • Sun protection
      • Slip on a shirt
      • Slop on sunscreen
      • Slap on a hat
      • Seek shade
      • Slide on sunglasses
      • SunSmart NSW website
      • Improve your long game
      • Outdoor workers
      • Sporting groups
      • Buy sun protection products online
    • Screening and early detection
      • Cervical screening
      • Bowel cancer screening
      • Breast cancer screening
      • Lung cancer screening
      • Testicular cancer
      • Prostate cancer
      • Ovarian cancer
      • Liver cancer and hepatitis B
      • Check for skin cancer
    • CanAct – campaigning for better policies
    • Cancer Council shops
  • Research
    Research programs save lives, improve treatments and quality of life for cancer survivors.
    • Research we conduct
      • The Daffodil Centre
      • I-PaRCS
    • Research we fund
    • Search research by cancer type or topic
    • Information for researchers
      • Grant opportunities
    • Community participation in research
  • Get Involved
    Cancer Council exists through the generosity of the community. Find out how you can participate by donating, volunteering, fundraising or partnering with us.
    • Donate
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      • Make a regular donation
      • Donate in memory of a loved one
      • Make a major gift
      • Donate crypto
      • More ways to donate
    • Events and Fundraising
      • Events calendar
      • Fundraise your way – Do It For Cancer
      • Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea
      • Daffodil Day
      • Relay for Life
      • The Longest Day
      • The March Charge
      • 7 Bridges Walk
      • Stars Dance for Cancer
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Download or Print PDF

Diabetes

Insulin is a hormone that controls the amount of sugar in the blood. A person with diabetes does not create or produce enough insulin or has a resistance to the effects of insulin. This means they need medicines to help control their blood sugar levels.

Learn more about:

  • Side effects and diabetes
  • Steroids and diabetes
  • Pancreatic cancer and diabetes
  • Enzyme replacement therapy

Side effects and diabetes

Some treatment side effects may make controlling blood sugar levels difficult. These include loss of appetite, nausea, fatigue, constipation and diarrhoea. If you are unable to eat enough, your blood sugar levels may drop too low.

You may need to check your blood sugar levels more often and have snacks that include a variety of carbohydrates. Choose carbohydrate foods that produce a slower rise in blood glucose levels – these are described as having a low glycaemic index (GI). You can also talk to your doctor about changing your dose of insulin or tablets.


Steroids and diabetes

Some medicines, such as steroids, can also cause high or unstable blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. How long the steroids affect your blood sugar levels will depend on the dose and type of steroid you are taking. Steroids given as creams or nasal sprays are unlikely to affect blood sugar levels.

Blood sugar levels should go back to a healthy range once you have finished your course of steroids. Talk to your doctor about how to monitor your blood sugar levels if you have diabetes and are prescribed steroids. Strategies may include taking medicines, eating well and moving more.


Pancreatic cancer and diabetes

Some people with pancreatic cancer develop diabetes before the cancer is diagnosed or after surgery to remove the pancreas. The way diabetes is managed varies from person to person, but it usually includes making changes to your diet and taking medicines including insulin.


Enzyme replacement therapy

The pancreas produces digestive enzymes to help break down food. If you have had surgery for pancreatic cancer, your body may not be able to make enough of these enzymes. This will affect your ability to digest food and is often referred to as pancreatic exocrine insufficiency.

Signs include diarrhoea, pain in the abdomen, bloating and pale, floating faeces. To help prevent these symptoms, ask your doctor or a dietitian for information on enzyme supplements.

For more on this, see Pancreatic cancer.

→ READ MORE: Eating with a stoma


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Key resource

Download a PDF booklet on this topic.

Nutrition for People Living with Cancer cover thumbnail
Nutrition for People Living with Cancer

Download PDF600kB

More resources

  • PDF Caring for Someone with Cancer Download PDF519kB
  • PDF Fatigue and Cancer Download PDF168kB
This information was last reviewed in July 2022. View who reviewed this content.

Jacqueline Baker, Senior Oncology Dietitian, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, NSW; Lauren Atkins, Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian, OnCore Nutrition, VIC; Dr Tsien Fua, Head and Neck Radiation Oncology Specialist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Rosemerry Hodgkin, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council WA; Clare Hughes, Manager, Nutrition Unit, Cancer Council NSW; John Spurr, Consumer; Emma Vale, Senior Dietitian, GenesisCare, SA; David Wood, Consumer.

View the Cancer Council NSW editorial policy.

View all publications or call 13 11 20 for free printed copies.

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