Diabetes and pancreatic cancer often go hand in hand. Between 30 to 50% of patients have diabetes or prediabetes at diagnosis, and another 40% develop it during treatment.

To get the latest information, host Alisyn Camerota is joined by endocrinologist and Director of the Duke Onco-Endocrinology Program at the Duke Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, Dr. Afreen Shariff, an Associate Director for the Cancer Therapy Toxicity Program and a member of the faculty in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at Duke University School of Medicine.

In this episode, Dr. Shariff discusses managing pancreatic cancer and diabetes, and how surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation can all affect blood sugar as a direct, on-target effect of treatment. She emphasizes working with an endocrinologist and oncologist to help control diabetes during and after treatment.

Her advice: get a clear diagnosis, know your numbers, and don't hesitate to bring up blood sugar concerns with your oncology team.

PancChat is produced in collaboration with Let's Win Pancreatic Cancer and PanCAN.

This episode is sponsored by Revolution Medicines.

For more information, visit letswinpc.org and pancan.org.

RESOURCES:

Let's Win's Diabetes Section
PancCAN Diabetes and Pancreatic Cancer
PanCAN Patient Services
Let's Win Doctor Finder
Let's Win Clinical Trial Finder
PanCAN Clinical Trial Finder