1800 202 8726
Neutropenia & Infection

How to Check and Record — Your Temperature on Chemotherapy

During chemotherapy, a raised temperature is not an ordinary fever. It can mean your white cell count has dropped too low to fight infection, and that needs a hospital assessment the same day — not tomorrow, not after you see if it settles.

Medically reviewed by Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy, Medical Oncologist, MBBS (Gold Medal) · DNB · DM (Medical Oncology, Gold Medal) · Last reviewed September 2026

  • Use a digital thermometer — Only a digital oral thermometer gives a reading accurate enough for your oncology team to act on.
  • Check twice a day during nadir — The nadir is when your white cell count is lowest — usually days 7 to 14 after each cycle. This is when risk is highest.
  • Record every reading — Write down the number, the time, and how you feel. A pattern matters as much as a single reading.
  • Act on any raised reading — Do not wait to see if it settles. A raised temperature during chemotherapy is a same-day call every time.
4.8 · 800+ Google reviews · 15,000+ patients treated
Limited Slots Today

Speak to our team now

₹950   Today: FREE  ·  Including free written second opinion

Reply within 2 working hours
Reviewed by a senior medical oncologist
Confidential. No commitment to start treatment.
or
Call 1800 202 8726
17+
Cancer Specialists
on Panel
96.9%
Breast Cancer
Survival Rate*
15,000+
Patients
Treated
4.8★
Google Rating
(800+ reviews)

Use a digital oral thermometer. During your chemotherapy nadir — the period when white cell counts are at their lowest — check your temperature at least twice a day, morning and evening. Record every reading. Call your oncology team the same day if you get any raised reading, without waiting to see whether it settles.

If a symptom below applies to you, do not wait for a callback. Call 1800-202-8726 or go to your nearest emergency department.

How to take your temperature correctly

  • Use a digital oral thermometer — not a forehead strip, ear thermometer, or mercury thermometer.
  • Wait at least 15 minutes after eating, drinking anything hot or cold, or smoking before you check.
  • Place the tip under your tongue, close your mouth, and stay still until the thermometer beeps.
  • Read the number immediately and write it down with the time and date.
  • Check morning and evening every day during your nadir period.
  • Clean the thermometer tip with alcohol before and after each use.
  • Call your oncology team the same day if you get any raised reading.

If you are worried right now, call

Our helpline is answered by clinical staff. If a symptom is on the list above, do not wait for a callback — call, or go to your nearest emergency department.

Meet the Specialists

17+ senior cancer specialists. One panel for your case.

Trained at AIIMS, Tata Memorial, and leading international centres. Combined 150+ years of experience. Every complex case is reviewed by 3+ of them — together.

Dr. Naresh Gundu
Medical Oncologist

Dr. Naresh Gundu

MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology)

View Profile
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
Medical Oncologist

Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy

MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)

View Profile
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
Medical Oncologist

Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla

MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)

View Profile
Dr. Owais Mohammed
Medical Oncologist

Dr. Owais Mohammed

MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)

View Profile
Dr. T. Raghavender Reddy
Medical Oncologist

Dr. T. Raghavender Reddy

MBBS, DM (Medical Oncology), MD (Radiation Oncology)

View Profile
Dr. N. Kiranmayee
Medical Oncologist

Dr. N. Kiranmayee

MBBS, DM (Medical Oncology), MD (Internal Medicine)

View Profile
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty

MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)

View Profile
Dr. Raghavendra Naik
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Raghavendra Naik

MBBS, MS (General Surgery), M.Ch (Surgical Oncology)

View Profile
Dr. Mohammed  Imaduddin
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Mohammed Imaduddin

M.B.B.S, MS (General Surgery), M.Ch (Surgical Oncology)

View Profile
Dr. Vinay Mamidala
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Vinay Mamidala

MBBS, MS(General Surgery), M.Ch(Surgical Oncology), FMAS, FARIS(Ongoing)

View Profile
Dr. Paila Gowri Naidu
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Paila Gowri Naidu

MBBS, MS (General Surgery), M.Ch (Surgical Oncology), FMAS

View Profile
Dr. Venkata Sushma P
Radiation Oncologist

Dr. Venkata Sushma P

MBBS, MD (Radiation Oncology)

View Profile
Dr. Kirti Ranjan Mohanty
Radiation Oncologist

Dr. Kirti Ranjan Mohanty

MBBS, MD (Radiation Oncology)

View Profile
Dr. Gangadhar Vajrala
Radiation Oncologist

Dr. Gangadhar Vajrala

MBBS, MD (Radiation Oncology), MPH

View Profile
Dr. Basudev Pokhrel
Hematologist

Dr. Basudev Pokhrel

MBBS, M.D (Immunohematology & Blood Transfusion)

View Profile
Dr. Mohammed Imran
Interventional Radiologist

Dr. Mohammed Imran

View Profile
Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar

MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology

View Profile
Dr. Sridhar Kamani
Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Sridhar Kamani

MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology)

View Profile

Want a specific doctor for your case? Mention them when booking.

Book Free Consultation

Not sure whether this counts as an emergency?

Call the helpline. It is always better to check than to wait.

Book Free Consultation Call 1800 202 8726

When should you check your temperature?

Check twice daily — morning and evening — during your nadir. The nadir is the period when your white cell count is at its lowest, usually around 7 to 14 days after each chemotherapy cycle. Your team will tell you your specific window.

Check any time you suddenly feel cold, shivery, hot, or generally unwell — even outside your usual checking times. Infection can develop quickly during the nadir and does not wait for scheduled checks.

Keep a written record of every reading, including the time and how you felt. When you call your team, this record is the first thing they will ask for.

What does your reading mean?

ReadingWhat it meansWhat to do
Your usual resting temperatureWhite cell count likely within a safe rangeContinue twice-daily checks as normal
Any increase above your usualPossible early infection responseCall your oncology team today — do not wait
38°C (100.4°F) or abovePossible neutropenic fever — the threshold named in NCCN and ASCO guidanceGo to the emergency department now
Feel hot or shivery but no thermometer availableTreat it as a possible feverGo to emergency or call your team immediately
Typically startsNadir: usually days 7–14 after each cycle — your team will give your specific windowCheck morning and evening throughout this period

Explore 69 more Blood Counts, Infection, Fever & Emergencies topics

Blood Transfusion & Donor Arrangement

HUB — Low Blood Counts, Infection and Fever During Chemotherapy

Vaccination During & After Chemotherapy

All Blood Counts, Infection, Fever & Emergencies →

Next step

Still not sure what applies to you?

Send your reports across and a senior medical oncologist will go through what they mean, what is known, and what the options actually are.

Book Free Consultation Call 1800 202 8726
Common questions

Frequently asked questions

Which thermometer is best for checking temperature during chemotherapy?

A digital oral thermometer is the right choice. It is accurate, inexpensive, and easy to read. Place the tip under your tongue with your mouth closed until it beeps. Forehead strips are not accurate enough for clinical use. Ear thermometers can read falsely low if not positioned correctly. Mercury thermometers should not be used because they are hazardous if broken. Ask your oncology team to recommend a specific model if you are unsure.

What is the nadir and when is the risk of infection highest?

The nadir is the point in your chemotherapy cycle when your white blood cell count drops to its lowest level. At this point your body has very little protection against infection, and a temperature that would be unremarkable in a healthy person can become serious within hours. The nadir usually falls between 7 and 14 days after each cycle, but it varies by regimen. Your oncology team will give you your specific window — during that period, twice-daily checks are the safe default.

My temperature went up and then came back down on its own — do I still need to call?

Yes. A temperature that rises then settles on its own is not a reassuring sign during chemotherapy. It can mean your body is starting to respond to an infection before a sustained fever develops. Your team needs to know about any raised reading, including one that has since come down, so they can decide whether a blood count check is needed. Never assume a settled reading means it is safe to wait.

I feel hot and shivery but the thermometer shows a normal reading — what do I do?

Trust how you feel and call your oncology team immediately. Thermometers can read falsely normal early in an infection, particularly if you checked very soon after symptoms started or before your temperature had time to rise. Your symptoms — sudden chills, shivering, feeling very unwell — are signals that matter as much as the number. If you cannot reach your team quickly, go to the emergency department rather than wait.

Full index

Browse all 579 chemotherapy topics

Every page in this section, grouped by the part of treatment it belongs to. Open a group to see what is in it.

Before You Start: Tests, Ports & Fertility42
Blood Counts, Infection, Fever & Emergencies73

Anaemia & Low Haemoglobin

HUB — Low Blood Counts, Infection and Fever During Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy and Supportive Medicines by Name75

Chemotherapy Drugs by Name

HUB — Chemotherapy Drugs by Name

HUB — Generic, Branded and Biosimilar Chemotherapy in India

HUB — Supportive Medicines Used With Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy at CION Cancer Clinics1
Chemotherapy by Cancer Type and Special Situations5

Special Populations & Comorbidities

HUB — Chemotherapy in Special Situations

Chemotherapy in Hyderabad: Cost, Centres & Access93

HUB — Choosing a Chemotherapy Centre and Safe Administration

Common Side Effects and How They Are Managed78
Food, Diet, Hydration & Household Safety6
How Chemotherapy Is Given: Regimens, Cycles & Infusion Days85

Other Ways Chemotherapy Is Given

HUB — Cycles, Schedules and What Happens on Infusion Day

Is It Working, Finishing Chemotherapy & Survivorship7

Is It Working? Response & Scans

HUB — Is Chemotherapy Working? Scans and Response

HUB — When Chemotherapy Stops Working

Nerve, Skin, Heart, Kidney and Cognitive Effects5

Skin, Nails & Hand-Foot Syndrome

Heart, Lung & Organ Toxicity

HUB — Effects on the Heart, Kidneys, Liver and Nerves

Understanding Chemotherapy, Myths & Trials97

HUB — Chemotherapy Myths and Alternative Treatment Claims

HUB — Clinical Trials in Cancer Treatment

HUB — What Is Chemotherapy and Why Has It Been Advised?

Work, Family, Relationships and Emotional Support12
Call now Book free consultation