Excessive sweating in mesothelioma
Excessive sweating in mesothelioma
Sweating is a natural occurrence and is the body’s way of keeping the core temperature cool. The sweat glands in most parts of our body is located in the layer of the skin called the dermis and nerve cells in the dermis layer of the skin control how much we sweat.
The amount of sweat we produce depends on
-How active we are
-The temperature around us
-Our emotional state
Sometimes, however, people diagnosed with mesothelioma experience abnormal, excessive sweating which interferes with everyday activities.
This can be exhausting. In most cases it occurs during the night, soaking nightclothes and bed linen to the point that they have to be changed two or three times in one night. The sweating is not due to a fever and your temperature may only be slightly raised.
If you do have a fever, it may be due to something other than the mesothelioma and you must contact a doctor or treating team to rule out an infection or side effect of treatment.
Excessive sweating occurs in people with other cancers, not just mesothelioma. It's not exactly clear why this happens. It may result from chemical agents produced by the tumour, emotion, infection or medications such as morphine and it is difficult to control.
It is useful to rate the sweating and classify into these 3 simple categories:
Mild where no change of clothes necessary, moderate if change of clothing not usually necessary, sponging of the affected area often required and severe if drenching sweats, requiring change of clothing or bedding occur.
The following actions have been adopted by people affected by mesothelioma to help manage the symptom:
-Cool your environment, use fans and open doors or windows
-Stay hydrated, keep a bottle of water handy
-Try not to have drinks with caffeine, especially if sweating is worse at night
-Use materials made out of cotton or bamboo rather than synthetic fabrics
-Layer clothing during the day
-Avoid heavy bedclothes and wear cotton or bamboo underwear underneath them
-Use moisture absorbing mattress covers and try bamboo pillowcases
-Try frequent tepid bathing or sponging
-Avoid hot baths
Medications
A number of different drugs have been used to manage the symptom of sweating. Success varies and can very much be a case of trial and error before establishing which drug suits an individual.
Anti-cancer drugs for mesothelioma, such as chemo or immunotherapy, has also been shown to improve the symptom, which for some people is an indication that the cancer is not stable. Over the years, this has resulted in the symptom of sweating becoming less common as more active treatments have been used to control the disease.
Complimentary therapies such as relaxation, meditation and mindfulness have also been found to be useful to some individuals who experience mesothelioma related sweating
Be careful of “herbal remedies”, an internet search of 'excessive sweating' will result in numerous remedies suggested to be of benefit, however, it is ALWAYS best to speak with your medical team before trying.
October 2022
Mr Simon Bolton does not have any disclosure to report.