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BACKGROUND: Women with diabetes face a higher risk of developing breast cancer than those without, and when both conditions coexist, the risk of adverse health outcomes is higher. Little is known about the impact of adjuvant breast cancer treatment on diabetes management. This systematic literature review aimed to understand the experiences of women living with diabetes in their diabetes care when undergoing adjuvant breast cancer treatment. METHOD: This PROSPERO-registered (CRD420251046300) systematic review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Medline, CINAHL, Embase and Web of Science databases were searched on 13 May 2025. Studies were included based on robust inclusion/exclusion criteria and underwent quality appraisal using JBI appraisal tools relevant to the study's methodology. RESULTS: Nine original research articles met the inclusion criteria. The articles comprised three qualitative, two cohort studies, three cross-sectional studies, and one quasi-experimental design. The key elements identified in the articles included a decline in diabetes self-care behaviours following breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, a negative impact on mental health and wellbeing, and lack of coordinated care for women with diabetes undergoing breast cancer treatment. Revealing the added burden experienced by women living with diabetes during breast cancer. CONCLUSION: The review found limited evidence on the experiences of women with diabetes undergoing adjuvant breast cancer treatment. Importantly, diabetes self-care declined during breast cancer treatment, increasing the risk of poorer health outcomes, emotional distress and the progression of diabetes-related complications. Further research in this area is essential to enhance health outcomes for women living with diabetes undergoing breast cancer treatment.
Murfet et al. (Sun,) studied this question.