A doctor has shared a warning about a common sign of cancer that appears while you sleep. Taking to the MrDr_HQ TikTok page, an expert shared that many patients ‘overlook’ this critical symptom and end up catching the disease late.

Experiencing night sweats does not necessarily mean that you have cancer – they can be caused by a number of conditions, as well as by certain medications and alcohol or drug consumption. Some people will even get night sweats for no reason, according to the NHS.

However, the medical professional stressed that night sweats should be investigated by a doctor, as they could be an early indication of many different forms of cancer. “Night sweats [are] a very, very important symptom that tend to be overlooked by people,” he said.

“The reason why it’s so important is that it can be caused by a wide variety of things that can be sinister or dangerous, the first one being blood cancers or malignancies of any type, so any type of cancer can give you night sweats. Additionally, it can be caused by serious infections like TB (tuberculosis).”

The doctor went on to highlight other conditions that can lead to night sweats, including inflammatory conditions such as lupus or hormonal irregularities. “If you have night sweats, make sure you speak to your doctor about it,” he advised.

@mrdr_hq Night Sweats: Why should you be worried about them #cancer #doctor #men #sweats ? original sound – MrDr_HQ

NHS guidance states: “Most people sweat during the night. If you regularly wake up with soaking wet sheets you should get it checked by a GP.” According to the health service, a GP won’t usually treat you for night sweats alone, but they will test for other conditions.

While night sweats can be an indication of cancer, there are more common factors and conditions that can also result in wet bedsheets and pyjamas. These include the menopause, anxiety, taking certain medicines, such as some antidepressants, steroids and painkillers, low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), alcohol or drug use, and hyperhidrosis, a harmless condition that causes sufferers to sweat excessively all the time.

In some cases, doctors will not be able to find the cause of night sweats. The NHS recommends you see a GP if: you regularly have night sweats regularly that either wake you up or worry you; the night sweats are accompanied by a very high temperature, feeling hot and shivery, a cough or diarrhoea; or the night sweats are accompanied by unexplained weight loss. (Surrey Live)