Impact of hyperglycemia on the efficacy of chemotherapy—A systematic review of preclinical studies

Abstract Background Antineoplastic agents can provoke hyperglycemia in cancer patients with and without diabetes mellitus. We systematically reviewed the impact of hyperglycemia on the efficacy of chemotherapy. Methods MEDLINE was searched for preclinical intervention studies which compared chemotherapy response in hyperglycemic and euglycemic conditions. Results Thirteen preclinical studies, including 23 cell lines and 2 animal experiments were identified. In 14 cell lines and 2 animal studies, chemotherapy response was lower in a hyperglycemic (>15 mmol/L) compared to a euglycemic environment (5 mmol/L). The response was similar in 4 cell lines. In the remaining 5 cell lines, the hyperglycemic environment potentiated chemotherapy efficacy. Conclusion Hyperglycemia attenuated the antiproliferative effect of chemotherapy in preclinical experiments, but the results are inconsistent. Whether hyperglycemia influences efficacy of chemotherapy in patients needs to be explored.