9 Endometrial Cancer Treatment Side Effects, and How to Manage Them

“Patients should be familiar with what signs and symptoms to monitor ‌and feel encouraged to call their care team early, as interventions work best when started early in the side effects course,” says Mitchell Clark, MD, gynecologic oncologist and assistant professor at Yale University School of Medicine.

1. Hot Flashes

• Write down hot flash triggers as they happen, so you can avoid them in the future.
• Avoid common triggers like spicy food, alcohol, caffeine, and hot environments.
• Drink ice water when you feel a hot flash starting.
• Dress in layers so you can get cool quickly.
• Use a fan at home, at work, and while sleeping.
• Take slow, deep breaths during a hot flash, which can shorten them.

2. Blood Clots

• Encourage you to get out of bed as soon as possible after surgery
• Place compression stockings on both legs
• Apply compression devices to your legs, which inflate and deflate to keep blood moving

3. Vaginal Narrowing, Dryness, and Irritation

• Pelvic floor physical therapy can relax vaginal muscles and help with narrowing.
• Vaginal dilators can prevent narrowing after cancer treatment.
• During sex, use a water-based lubricating gel, try different positions, spend extra time on foreplay, and communicate any pain to your partner right away.

4. Frequent Urination

• Keep your bladder healthy with lots of fluids — between 11.5 to 15.5 cups a day.

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• Avoid caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, and tobacco.
• Wear cotton underwear and loose fitting pants to avoid urinary tract infections.

5. Fatigue

Fatigue can happen with any cancer treatment, including those used for endometrial cancer, says Dr. Clark. This side effect can start soon after beginning radiation therapy and often gets worse when given in combination with chemotherapy, says Kahn. Immunotherapy also has similar side effects.

“Most of these symptoms can be managed with medication and dietary changes,” says DeBernardo. “Fortunately, these symptoms resolve within a few weeks after completing therapy.”

• Respiratory therapy for breathing problems that can cause fatigue
• Physical therapy to increase strength and function
• Good sleep hygiene for better rest at night
• Prioritizing activities that are most important to you
• Mindfulness practices like tai chi and yoga

6. Hair Loss

Cold cap therapy can help prevent hair loss from chemotherapy. “This involves wearing a specially designed cap that cools the scalp, typically before, during, and after chemotherapy sessions,” says Kahn. Its effectiveness may vary based on the length of chemotherapy and how long they can keep the cap on, Kahn says.

• Wear wigs, scarves, and other scalp coverings to help yourself feel more comfortable while your hair grows back.
• Wash your hair with mild baby shampoo and brush it gently.
• Avoid hairstyles that pull, like ponytails or braids.
• Wear a sleep cap to lessen the friction between your scalp and pillow.
• Don’t use chemicals to bleach, color, relax, or perm your hair.
• Let your hair air-dry, and avoid heated styling devices.

7. Nausea and Diarrhea

• Drink fluids to prevent dehydration. Even if you can’t drink the recommended daily amount because of your symptoms, try to sip on water, broth, ginger ale, tea, or sports drinks as much as you can.
• Choose nausea-friendly foods and drinks like popsicles, pudding, toast, crackers, and ginger tea. To slow diarrhea, eat low-fiber foods like pasta, white bread, and canned fruit.
• Avoid greasy, fried, spicy, fatty, or sweet foods that may aggravate your nausea.
• Eat five to six smaller meals per day instead of three big ones, and try to stay relaxed while eating.
• Include foods that are high in minerals such as potassium and sodium, which can get low with diarrhea. You can get these minerals from potatoes, bananas, applesauce, and salted crackers.
• Discover your nausea and diarrhea triggers by recording what you ate right before your symptoms started.

8. Leg Numbness and Swelling

• Elevate your legs while resting to drain extra fluid.
• Exercise to boost blood flow and fluid drainage.
• Avoid cuts or injuries to your feet and legs, which can make lymphedema worse.
• Ask about manual lymphatic drainage, a type of massage done by a trained therapist.
• Wear custom compression garments that provide pressure to your legs so fluid can’t collect there.

9. Higher Infection Risk

Some cancer treatments, such as immunotherapy and chemotherapy, can affect your immune system. “Since [immunotherapy] essentially ‘activates’ the immune system, it can cause a plethora of other symptoms and problems, some of which can be life threatening,” says DeBernardo.

• Wash your hands with soap and warm water often, especially before you eat.
• Clean your teeth often and check for sores or redness every day.
• Avoid seeing people who are sick or who have just had a live vaccine, such as one for chicken pox, polio, or measles.
• Cook all meat and eggs thoroughly before eating.

The Takeaway

• Endometrial cancer treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy can cause a range of side effects.
• The most common endometrial cancer treatment side effects include hot flashes, blood clots, vaginal dryness, hair loss, urinary and gastrointestinal issues, and a higher risk of infection.
• You can manage these symptoms with medications prescribed by your healthcare provider. There are plenty of lifestyle changes or home remedies that can also help lessen their effects.