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Certain symptoms that could suggest cancer have a tendency to appear first thing in the morning, an expert has warned.
While cancer doesn't have a preferred time of day, potential early warning signs show up uninvited whenever they want, and some red flags are likely prone to pop up as we wake up.
While these symptoms don't automatically mean that you definitely have cancer, identifying these symptoms could help people to seek medical advice and receive potentially life-saving treatments far sooner.
According to the American Cancer Society, it was estimated that, in 2024, 2,001,140 new cancer cases and 611,720 cancer deaths are projected to occur in America, with cancer being the second-leading cause of death in the US.
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Medical professionals have issued a few possible warning signs in our everyday lives, such as when we use the toilet, for instance.
And now, Abbas Kanani, a pharmacist at Chemist Click, revealed to the Daily Record the top three signs that can occur when we wake up in the morning.
The first symptom is a persistent and/or lingering cough.
According to WebMD, a cough that never goes away or appears to get worse with time is the most common sign of lung cancer, and although you might expect such a cough to be chesty or even painful, that's not always the case.
It could feel as light as a tickle in your throat or sound like you're just clearing your throat.
Kanani said that although regular smokers and vapers might experience some coughing in the morning, he said people should get checked out if they wake up with a cough lasting more than a fortnight, regardless of whether they smoke or not.
WebMD says that research has shown that as many as 65 per cent of people with lung cancer have developed a nagging cough by the time they're diagnosed, which increases to 80 per cent in those with advanced disease, where the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
However, they further add that a chronic cough could also be a sign of a condition like asthma, acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Secondly, night sweats are another potentially concerning sign to watch out for, according to the pharmacist.
The Mayo Clinic defines night sweats as 'repeated episodes of very heavy sweating during sleep, heavy enough to soak your nightclothes or bedding'.
And it's not just because of the summer night's heat making you sweat profusely, as night sweats is a condition on its own.
While they're common during the menopause for women, and can occur after taking certain medications, they can also materialise as a result of illnesses like an infection, diabetes or cancer, the Cleveland Clinic adds.
Kanani said: "Get this checked out with your GP, especially if night sweats are accompanied by fatigue, weight loss or bruising."
And the third symptom is waking up feeling fatigued, which could also just be because you've failed to bag a good eight hours of quality sleep.
However, regularly waking up feeling extremely exhausted and fatigued could hint at something else brewing beneath the surface, the pharmacist warns, especially if it's coupled with any other symptoms.
"It's normal to feel a little tired in the morning, but if this is not usual for you, or you are noticing fatigue lasting throughout the day, you should get this checked out," he said.