Many individuals navigating a cancer diagnosis experience a persistent sensation of coldness. This feeling is a real and impactful symptom that can significantly affect daily life. The experience of feeling cold among cancer patients is often rooted in various physiological changes within the body. Understanding the underlying reasons for this symptom can help patients and caregivers better address it.
How Cancer Affects Body Temperature
Cancer can directly influence the body’s ability to regulate its temperature. Tumors can induce systemic inflammation, which disrupts the normal functioning of the body’s thermoregulation centers, such as the hypothalamus. This inflammation can cause the body to misinterpret its internal temperature, leading to a feeling of coldness. Cancer cells also exhibit altered metabolic processes, consuming glucose at an increased rate through a phenomenon known as the Warburg effect. This process can lead to changes in the body’s overall energy balance, potentially contributing to a sensation of cold.
The presence of cancer can also initiate or accelerate cachexia, a wasting syndrome characterized by the loss of muscle and fat tissue. This reduction in body mass diminishes the body’s natural insulation. With less muscle and fat, the body has fewer resources to generate and retain heat, making patients more susceptible to feeling cold even in warm environments.
Treatment Side Effects and Coldness
Cancer treatments frequently contribute to cold sensations. Chemotherapy, for instance, can cause peripheral neuropathy, a condition where nerve damage impairs the body’s ability to accurately sense temperature or regulate blood flow, especially in the hands and feet. Certain chemotherapy drugs can also lead to cold dysesthesia, an unpleasant sensation triggered by exposure to cold temperatures or objects. Another common side effect of chemotherapy is myelosuppression, which reduces bone marrow activity and can result in anemia.
Radiation therapy, while localized, can damage treated tissues, affecting local blood flow and metabolism. This can lead to localized cold sensations or systemic fatigue, which indirectly contributes to feeling cold. Surgical procedures, especially major ones, can also induce temporary hypothermia due to the effects of anesthesia and potential blood loss. Anesthetics interfere with the body’s natural temperature control mechanisms, and even small drops in body temperature during surgery can increase the risk of feeling cold post-operatively.
Immunotherapy and other targeted therapies can also cause patients to feel cold. These treatments often trigger inflammatory responses or flu-like symptoms, which may include chills and fatigue. Some immunotherapies can also lead to endocrine disorders, such as hypothyroidism, which directly impact metabolism and body temperature regulation.
Physical Changes That Cause Chills
Several physical changes commonly observed in cancer patients can independently lead to feeling cold. Anemia, a reduced red blood cell count, is prevalent in cancer patients due to the disease itself or as a side effect of treatment. Red blood cells are responsible for delivering oxygen to tissues, which is necessary for metabolic processes that generate body heat. With fewer red blood cells, less oxygen reaches tissues, impairing heat production and causing a persistent cold sensation.
Peripheral neuropathy, which can stem from cancer itself or certain treatments, damages nerves that transmit sensory information, including temperature. This nerve damage can impair the accurate perception of temperature and disrupt blood flow regulation, leading to chronically cold hands and feet.
Hormonal imbalances can also play a role. Some cancers or their treatments can affect endocrine glands, potentially leading to conditions like hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism, characterized by an underactive thyroid gland, slows down the body’s metabolism, directly impacting its ability to produce heat and causing a general intolerance to cold.
Coping with Feeling Cold
Managing the sensation of coldness involves practical comfort measures. Layering clothing is an effective strategy, as multiple thin layers trap air and provide better insulation than a single thick garment. Wearing warm socks, slippers, and hats, even indoors, can also help retain body heat. Utilizing blankets, throws, and shawls can add extra warmth and comfort.
Consuming warm beverages, such as tea or broth, and warm meals can help raise internal body temperature. Adjusting the indoor environment by raising the room temperature and minimizing drafts can create a more comfortable living space. Gentle physical activity, if medically appropriate and approved by the healthcare team, can improve circulation and generate some body heat. Patients should communicate any persistent or distressing cold sensations to their healthcare team, as this symptom warrants discussion to ensure appropriate management and rule out any new or worsening underlying issues.