Sweet’s Syndrome UK Day Date in the current year: June 2, 2026

Sweet’s syndrome was named after the English dermatologist who first described it in 1964, Robert Douglas Sweet. It belongs to a group of autoinflammatory skin conditions called neutrophilic dermatoses because they are characterized by the dense infiltration of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell, in affected tissues. Sweet’s syndrome is also known as acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis because it has a sudden onset (acute) and one of its symptoms is fever (febrile).

The classic symptoms of Sweet’s syndrome include sudden fever and painful red, reddish-brown, or purple skin lesions on the arms, legs, head, and neck, as well as leukocytosis (an elevated white blood cell count). Other common symptoms include fatigue, muscle aches, joint pain, headaches, and sometimes eye inflammation. Diagnosis usually involves a clinical examination, a blood test to confirm inflammation and leukocytosis, and a skin biopsy to confirm a neutrophilic infiltrate.

There are three major forms of Sweet’s syndrome: classic (idiopathic), malignancy-associated, and drug-induced. Classic (idiopathic) Sweet’s syndrome develops without an apparent cause but often occurs after an upper respiratory or gastrointestinal infection, during pregnancy, or in association with inflammatory diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), rheumatoid arthritis, or Behçet’s disease.

Malignancy-associated Sweet’s syndrome is most commonly associated with blood cancers, particularly acute myeloid leukemia. However, it can also accompany solid tumors, such as breast cancer, as well as gastrointestinal and genitourinary cancers. Drug-induced Sweet’s syndrome is triggered by certain medications, including granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), which is used to treat neutropenia, as well as some antibiotics and cancer drugs.

The good news about Sweet’s syndrome is that it is highly treatable. Once diagnosed, it typically responds well to systemic corticosteroids, such as prednisone. It usually takes 72 hours for the temperature and white blood cell count to normalize, and three to nine days for the skin lesions to clear.

However, Sweet’s syndrome can be debilitating if not diagnosed and treated promptly. Some patients may wait weeks or months to receive the correct diagnosis because Sweet’s syndrome is rare and can be confused with other skin conditions. Additionally, approximately 20% of Sweet’s syndrome cases are associated with an underlying malignancy. Therefore, it is generally recommended to consult an oncologist, even if no cancer has previously been diagnosed.

Sweet’s Syndrome UK Day is organized by Sweet’s Syndrome UK, a patient group that supports individuals diagnosed with the syndrome. The day’s main goal is to raise awareness of the syndrome among medical professionals and the general public to improve diagnosis rates.