Doctor warns of simple tell-tale sign that could mean you have cancer

A doctor has warned of a tell-tale sign that you could have cancer as they stressed "you shouldn't ignore this."

With cancer rates ever increasing it is more important than ever to be vigilant about the disease with chances of survival improved massively when you catch it early. Cancer occurs when abnormal cells divide and spread, often invading and damaging tissue and organs nearby.

Cancer Research UK has reported that approximately 375,000 new cancer cases are diagnosed in the UK each year. The figures mean that around 1,000 people get the devastating diagnosis every day and the horrific disease claims 167,000 lives annually.

• People with tattoos at higher risk of developing rare form of cancer, study finds
• Honeybees can detect lung cancer in humans, breakthrough study finds

While many believe lumps are the telltale sign that you may have cancer, the disease can often present itself in a multitude of ways with many different signs and symptoms which can be a giveaway that something is wrong. Doctor Jen Caudle, from the US, recently used TikTok to share nine key signs of cancer to be on the lookout for .

One specific symptom she mentioned was the development of night sweats. Dr Caudle explained: "Night sweats can be due to a number of things, but we have to make sure in many, many situations that it is not cancer."

While it's normal to wake up sweating from time to time, especially in summer, persistent night sweats can indicate a deeper issue and are a particular indicator of cancerous conditions. The NHS in the UK advises: "Most people sweat during the night If you regularly wake up with soaking wet sheets you should get it checked by a GP.

"Night sweats are when you sweat so much that your night clothes and bedding are soaking wet, even though where you're sleeping is cool." Cancer Research UK also include "very heavy night sweats" in their list of general signs of cancer to look out for on their website.

However, if do have night sweats don't panic, it doesn't always mean you have cancer, and as the charity points out they could also be a side effect of medications or less serious illnesses. The charity states: "Sweating at night or having a high temperature (fever) can be caused by infections or a side effect of certain medications.

"It's also often experienced by women around the time of the menopause. But speak to your doctor if you have very heavy, drenching night sweats, or an unexplained fever." Dr Caudle also highlighted the importance of visitng your GP for any unusual signs or symptoms that something could be wrong in your body. Patients are always encouraged to take a "better safe than sorry" approach when it comes to having potential cancer symptoms investigated.