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Chemotherapy post testicle removed type 1 diabetes...

Jjohn
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Hi all, my husband has had his testicle removed after being diagnosed with cancer. It's just been such an exhausting few weeks, waiting and worrying. We are very very lucky though as ct scan shows no spread. Such unbelievable relief. The doctors are discussing a shot of chemo still as a preventative method. Could anyone explain if this would be less horrendous as preventative?

We have two small children so really worried about how my husband will be and the girls are constantly picking up colds and bugs, post lockdown lack of immunity.  I'm just really worried what a round would mean. He is also type 1 diabetic, so I'm extremely nervous of his blood sugars being affected.

Any knowledge would be so helpful.

 

Thank you.

  • Hello and thank you for your post.

    I'm sorry to hear that your husband is being treated for testicular cancer.

    Chemotherapy given after curative surgery is called adjuvant treatment.  Adjuvant chemotherapy is recommended in early stage testicular cancers to reduce the risk of a recurrence. The exact type of chemotherapy your husband will have will depend on the specific type of cancer he has been diagnosed with.

    I can appreciate that you want to know if having the chemotherapy will affect his diabetes. Having chemotherapy itself does not affect blood sugar levels and diabetes.  However, a drug that is sometimes given with chemotherapy to help prevent nausea and vomiting,  called dexamethasone,  is a steroid. Steroids can, sometimes, affect blood sugar levels. I do not know if your husband needs to have this treatment. 

    This might seem worrying and you might even think that this is too much of a risk but for most diabetics (types 1 and 2)  it will not be.  Many people who have diabetes and cancer will receive steroids as part of their cancer treatment and while some people may need to make adjustments to their diabetic treatment it does not usually cause a serious problem.  Also, it is very important to know that even if your husband needs to have a steroid he will only need to have it once (because he may only need to have one lot of chemotherapy) so there is an even smaller chance that he will come to harm from having it.  

    You might find it helpful to read our information about how testicular cancer is treated,  scroll down the page to the section called After Surgery (adjuvant treatment) for specific information on the types of chemotherapy given, you can see it here 

    I hope you and your husband know more about this treatment soon and that he will be okay.

    Please get back to us if you need any more information or support.  You may find it helpful to talk things through with one of the nurses on our helpline.  The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.

    Take care,

    Caroline 

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