This nighttime phenomenon could be a sign of cancer

Waking up in the middle of the night in a pool of your own sweat is a high uncomfortable situation. This could be an early sign of a number of cancers. Some signs of cancer such as a general feeling of fatigue or unusual lumps in the body are some common, and documented signs of cancer, but night sweat is one of the less known symptoms.

Night sweats and cancer

Night sweats are more than the ordinary sweats your body generates from having too many blankets on your bed. Night sweats leave your clothes, bedding and pillows drenched in sweat, and may occur even if your room at the right temperature. According to Cancer Research UK, among cancer patients, this could be caused by an infection:

Infection is one of the most common causes of sweating in people who have cancer. Infection can give you a high temperature and your body sweats to try and reduce it. Treating the infection can control or stop the sweating.

Night sweats may be an early symptom of:

• carcinoid tumours
• leukaemia
• lymphoma
• bone cancer
• liver cancer
• mesothelioma

Why does this happen?

There is little understanding around why some types of cancer cause night sweats. But one theory is that breaking into a sweat is the body’s attempt at fighting the disease. According to Healthline, hormonal changes triggered by cancer could also explain night sweats.

When cancer causes a fever, your body may sweat excessively as it tries to cool down. In some cases, night sweats occur due to cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, drugs that alter hormones, and morphine.

The Healthline article added that if your night sweats occur due to cancer, you’ll likely experience other symptoms. This includes a fever and unexplained weight loss.

Sources used:

Cancer Research UK: Causes of sweating

Healthline: Are night sweats a sign of cancer?

The Sun: The cancer symptom that strikes at night – and 5 other signs you need to know