Cancer Nursing 101: Endocrinology

This webinar provides cancer nurses with an overview of the important relationship between diabetes, endocrine function, and cancer care. Participants will refresh their understanding of diabetes types, treatments, and the impact of cancer therapies on blood glucose management, including treatment-related diabetes associated with surgery, immunotherapy, and corticosteroid use.

The session also explores key endocrine concepts, including the role of hormones in maintaining normal physiology, the importance of cortisol and the pituitary-adrenal axis, and the effects of cancer treatment on endocrine function. Nurses will gain practical knowledge in recognising and managing adrenal insufficiency, understanding cortisol testing, and supporting patients through education on steroid sick-day management and emergency hydrocortisone administration. The role of the Diabetes Nurse Educator in supporting patients throughout their cancer journey will also be highlighted.

Learning Objectives:

• Diabetes basics: Refresh diabetes types and treatments
• Diabetes and cancer treatment
  • Learn that cancer treatments can cause or impact diabetes
    • Surgical and immunotherapy related diabetes
    • Steroids and high blood sugars
  • Learn role of diabetes nurse educator and how they can assist
• Hormone basics:
  • Refresh hormone control to maintain normal physiology and cope with stress
  • Refresh pituitary-adrenal axis and importance of cortisol
• Cortisol and cancer treatment
  • Learn basics of cortisol testing and why we do it
  • Learn what can cause abnormal cortisol levels
  • Learn to recognise endocrine emergency of low cortisol (adrenal insufficiency) – why it can happen and how to treat it
  • Learn important nursing role of reinforcing action plan (steroid sick-day management) and teaching IM hydrocortisone