Temperature/Shivering

Normal body temperature can vary depending on the individual, the time of day, and even the weather. For example your temperature is normally at its lowest in the early hours of the morning and highest by mid-afternoon. For most people, a temperature of 36°C – 37.5°C is normal. When your body temperature rises to 38°C or above this usually indicates an infection.

Risk of Infection During Cancer Treatment

Infections can be particularly dangerous if you are receiving treatment for cancer as treatment can reduce the number of white blood cells in your body. When your white blood cells fall below a certain level your immune system can become less able to fight infection as well as it usually does. If this happens even minor infections can become serious or even life threatening in just a matter of hours if they are left untreated. You can be vulnerable to infection whilst you are having treatment but also between treatment days and whilst you are recovering from treatment. In general, the earlier an infection is treated the better, as you are less likely to develop complications.

Look out for warning signs of an infection – temperature of 38°C or above, fever, shivering, sweats, sore throat, diarrhoea, discomfort when you pass urine, a cough or shortness of breath.

Please check your temperature if you feel any of the above or generally feel unwell. Even if it is within normal limits contact your hospital medical team immediately.

It is best not to take anything (even paracetamol) to bring your temperature down until you have sought advice from your medical team. This could hide any symptoms of infection and make it difficult to work out what was wrong with you.

High Temperature or Fever

If your temperature is:

38°C or above

Please write down your temperature and contact your hospital medical team immediately for further advice.

If your temperature is:

less than 37.5°C and you feel unwell

or

between 37.5°C and 37.9°C but you feel well

Please check your temperature again in 1 hour (or sooner than this if you feel unwell or more unwell than you were).

If at this time your temperature is:

above 37.5°C and you feel unwell

or

38°C or above (even if you feel well)

Please write down your temperature and contact your hospital medical team immediately for further advice

or

between 37.5°C and 37.9°C but you feel well

Please check your temperature again in 1 hour (or sooner than this if you feel unwell).

If your temperature remains above 37.5°C but below 38°C and you feel well, just continue to check it approximately every hour for about 12 hours.