Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Colorectal Cancer

Hyperglycemia commonly occurs during surgery due to a reaction to metabolic stress and trauma. It has been shown that improper glycemia control leads to impaired wound healing and a higher risk of other postoperative complications. However, glucose levels measured in patients before surgery are taken infrequently, and there remains controversy regarding optimal management. Usually, a blood glucose meter is used to measure non-fasted blood glucose concentrations, and a single-point measurement can easily misrepresent the actual glycemic control. Continuous glucose monitoring allows for a minimally invasive real-time remote glycemia control and is providing insights into glucose regulation in patients, demonstrating significant periods of clinically silent hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia.

The primary aim of our project is to assess the feasibility of the use of CGM in measuring blood glucose levels in patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery. The secondary aim is to analyze changes in perioperative blood glucose levels to understand the effects of stress and intraoperative interventions on the blood glucose level. The tertiary goal is to assess the predictive value of hyperglycemia for surgical site infection.