![]() Medications such as steroids and morphine can also cause fever or affect your immune system. Cancer treatments may cause a fever directly, or destroy white blood cells and weaken your immune system, making you more vulnerable to inflammation and infection. How Does Cancer Cause a Fever?Ī tumor can produce pyrogens, cause an infection that produces pyrogens or interfere with the normal functioning of the hypothalamus. The cells of your immune system can also produce pyrogens, such as cytokines. Pyrogens may come from outside sources, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, drugs and toxins. What Is a Pyrogen?Ī pyrogen is a substance that causes a fever. If there’s too much heat, the skin and lungs help get rid of it. It sets a temperature and then regulates your body processes to create or release heat to maintain that temperature. The hypothalamus gets messages from temperature receptors in your skin and blood and acts like a thermostat. The hypothalamus works with the autonomic nervous system, the endocrine system, skin, muscles, sweat glands and blood vessels to regulate processes that take place without us thinking about them, such as blood pressure, breathing, heartbeat, regulation of body fluids, salt concentration and body temperature. ![]() Sign up! The Hypothalamus & How It Worksīody temperature is controlled by a part of the brain called the hypothalamus. Sign up to receive our monthly Cancer Talk e-newsletter. To identify the cause, your medical team will ask questions, examine you and order tests such as a complete blood count (CBC) and/or blood cultures. Fever is a defense: a higher body temperature kills some bacteria and viruses and helps your immune system respond faster and better. It is usually a response to infection by bacteria or viruses, or to inflammation caused by disease or injury. What Is a Fever?įever, or pyrexia, is a higher-than-normal body temperature. If your immune system is weak, you could have a very serious infection but only a slight fever. ![]() ![]() Some cancers and cancer treatments can cause fever on their own, and the number on your thermometer may not match the level of your risk. It was nothing to be concerned about unless it rose dangerously high.īut things are different now, and that fever may mean something else. If you are receiving cancer treatment, you may need to adjust how you think of fever.īefore your diagnosis, fever was just a sign that your body was doing its job and trying to fight off an infection. ![]()
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