DR ELLIE: When sweating can be a sign of cancer By Dr Ellie Cannon For The Mail On Sunday Published: 11:46, 6 October 2024 | Updated: 11:46, 6 October 2024 e-mail View comments I'm an 80-year-old man and I’ve begun getting hot flushes. These happen seemingly at random. It’s so bad that my face gets covered in sweat and my shirt becomes stuck to my back.
I’ve had a blood test but it didn’t show anything abnormal. What could be the problem? Dr Ellie Cannon replies: Sweats or flushing should always be checked out by a doctor. Menopausal women are expected to have hot flushes – due to a drop in the female hormone oestrogen – but for everyone else it can be a worrying sign.
Excessive sweating can also be a sign of thyroid disease One possible cause is the skin condition rosacea. This can cause an intense feeling of heat and redness usually over the face, but may also cause sweating. Some people also sweat in response to certain foods, as well as alcohol and caffeine.
Anyone who begins experiencing this symptom may want to keep a food diary to see if any particular item sets off the sweating. Excessive sweating can also be a sign of thyroid disease – an issue in the butterfly-shaped gland in the neck that helps regulate the body’s metabolism. Other symptoms may include tiredness, weight gain, depression and muscle aches.
In rare cases, sweating can be a sign of cancer . Certain blood cancers are linked to the symptom and are more common in people over the age of 80..
