Not so sweet.

Diabetes creates a pro-inflammatory state so maybe it contributes to radiation pneumonitis. This study associates diabetes with both increased radiographic and symptomatic pneumonitis after lung stereotactic body radiation (SBRT) for lung cancer. Interestingly, radiographic changes themselves weren’t associated with the development of clinically symptomatic pneumonitis. Another interesting finding was an increase in radiographic changes specifically among black patients, independent of diabetes. TBL: Diabetes and demographics impact risk of radiographic fibrosis and symptomatic pneumonitis after lung SBRT. | Kalman, Radiother Oncol 2018