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SearchYour care team can help you manage the side effects of surgery, chemo and radiation — but you have to let them know what you’re experiencing
Treatment for endometrial cancer typically includes a hysterectomy. But depending on the specifics of your diagnosis, you may need other types of treatment, too, like chemotherapy and radiation.
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And each type of treatment can cause side effects of its own.
How can you manage what you’re going through during such a difficult time? Gynecological oncology nurse practitioner Tiffany Jagielo, CNP, weighs in on how to manage the many possible side effects of endometrial cancer treatments.
The side effects that you experience will depend on which treatments you’re having. Here’s a quick look at the possible treatments for endometrial cancer and some of their most common side effects.
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Jagielo reviews some of these side effects and shares how you can work with your care team to help manage them.
When you’re recovering from surgery, you should avoid sexual intercourse until you get the all-clear from your surgical team. When treatment is done, you may experience changes that affect how sex feels or how interested you are in having it.
Sexual dysfunction issues can be a side effect of all types of treatment for endometrial cancer. They include:
“It’s common to have questions about sexual health and what sexual intercourse will be like after healing,” Jagielo acknowledges. But a variety of treatment options can help:
Talk to your care team about what you’re experiencing. They can refer you to resources, specialists and solutions that can help.
Cancer fatigue is a common side effect of both chemotherapy and radiation, affecting up to 90% of people living with cancer. It’s a deep and unshakable feeling of exhaustion that doesn’t go away with rest or sleep.
“You have to listen to your body,” Jagielo stresses. “If you’re up to it, being physically active — even just going for a walk — can sometimes help overcome some of that fatigue. But if you’re exhausted and need to take a break or a nap, then that’s what your body needs you to do.”
There’s no single way to treat cancer fatigue. But your care team can help you figure out how to best manage it or improve your energy levels and interest.
It takes about six to eight weeks to fully recover from this surgical procedure, and without a uterus, you won’t have menstrual periods anymore. Fatigue is also especially common during the recovery period.
Jagielo explains other implications of this treatment.
Without a uterus, pregnancy won’t be possible. So, if having biological children is on your list of future plans, talk to your oncology team before treatment begins.
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“Occasionally, endometrial cancer can be managed without a hysterectomy,” Jagielo shares. “But if you do need a hysterectomy and want to have children, we’ll sit down with reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialists to discuss options like freezing your eggs for the possibility of surrogacy in the future.”
Having a hysterectomy won’t necessarily trigger menopause. But if your ovaries are removed, the sudden loss of hormones can cause traditional menopause symptoms, like:
“We don't want to put people into premature surgical menopause, if we can help it,” Jagielo says. “Luckily, after age 48 to 50, most women who have a hysterectomy with the removal of their ovaries and fallopian tubes don’t have a ton of symptoms related to menopause. But some people do, so we approach it on a case-by-case basis.”
If you do experience menopause symptoms after surgery, your provider can help you find ways to manage them, like medication or lifestyle changes.
Historically, chemotherapy side effects have included nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and more. But Jagielo says a lot has changed in recent years.
“I often hear people say they knew someone who had chemo 20 years ago and they were so sick that they couldn’t get out of bed,” she recounts. “But these days, we’re able to manage those side effects pretty well by giving IV medications with chemotherapy and offering oral medications to take at home.”
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That doesn’t mean chemotherapy will be a walk in the park. But it does mean that your care team has many treatment options to help you manage the side effects it may bring.
One of the two chemotherapy medications used to treat endometrial cancer, paclitaxel (Taxol®), causes hair loss. It typically starts within the first three weeks of starting treatment.
Hair usually starts to regrow after your course of chemotherapy is finished. But in the meantime, Jagielo encourages looking into options like wigs and scarves, as well as cold-capping — a treatment that may help you keep more of your hair during treatment.
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy causes feelings of numbness, tingling or “pins and needles” in your hands and feet.
“It’s a common side effect of Taxol, and it can be debilitating for some people,” Jagielo says. “But there are a few things we can do for it.”
If you experience peripheral neuropathy, your provider may:
Your provider may decide that you need immunotherapy, which is typically done in addition to chemo. Immunotherapy side effects can range from mild (like skin rash and fatigue) to severe, affecting different parts of your body in a variety of ways.
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“Immunotherapy helps your immune system recognize and unmask cancer cells, but it can also end up targeting organs,” Jagielo explains. “We’ve seen it attack the liver, the kidney, the heart and the intestine.”
We know, that sounds really scary. But Jagielo points out that many people experience only mild side effects of immunotherapy, which can be easily managed.
“Just because it’s listed as a side effect doesn’t mean it’s going to happen to you,” she reassures. “And most of those side effects can be managed with steroids and with a pause in the immunotherapy.”
This type of treatment takes place five days a week for five weeks, which can be hard on your body.
“Pelvic radiation, in particular, comes with a lot of side effects,” Jagielo says. “Usually, they get better pretty quickly once we stop the radiation, though they occasionally persist after treatment ends.”
Possible side effects of radiation for endometrial cancer include:
It’s important to stay in close contact with your care team to share which symptoms you’re experiencing so they can help you manage them.
These additional suggestions can help you make your way through endometrial cancer treatment and manage the side effects of your therapy.
What side effects should you expect from your treatment? Is what you’re experiencing normal? Can your care team do anything to help?
Jagielo says you can turn to your care team for all these questions and more — before, during and after treatment.
“No question is a dumb question,” she encourages. “We do this all the time, but it’s brand new for you. If you’re not sure, just ask and we can talk about it.”
You don’t have to manage side effects in silence. Many of the side effects of endometrial cancer treatment are manageable, but you have to clue in your care team first.
“I always say that we can only help you with what we know about,” Jagielo says. Let your providers know what you’re experiencing so they can offer recommendations and tweak your treatments as needed.
Palliative care provides support, comfort and symptom relief to people living with chronic illnesses like cancer. Your care team might recommend it — but if they don’t bring it up, you can ask them directly if they think it’s a good option for you.
“When people are experiencing a lot of symptoms from their endometrial cancer treatment, we sometimes need to think outside the box to figure out how to manage those,” Jagielo explains. “Fortunately, palliative care providers specialize in that.”
“Your mental health is just as important as your physical well-being,” Jagielo emphasizes.
Your care team can help connect you with:
And caring for your mental health doesn’t end when your treatment does. Even after your treatment has ended, you can reach out to your care team for cancer survivorship support.
“When you’re going through treatment, we see you daily or weekly, but your follow-up visits afterward are more spaced out. In my experience, some people really struggle during that time,” Jagielo shares. “But you can call us any time. You should never be in a downward spiral as you wait three months for your next appointment.”
After surgery, or when chemo and radiation end, you may feel like you’re supposed to suddenly be “better” again. But going through treatment for endometrial cancer can have a long-lasting impact on both your physical and mental health.
You’ll continue to see your care team for follow-up visits that cover a range of topics related to life after treatment.
“Three to six months after treatment, we’ll incorporate survivorship into your visits,” Jagielo explains. “We talk about your follow-up appointment schedule, what side effects you may be experiencing after completing treatment, and any long-term side effects you should look out for.
“Those visits are really a time for you to bring up concerns,” she continues, “because we want to be sure you’re getting life back on track after this life-altering diagnosis.”
Going through cancer treatment is hard — period. Jagielo urges you to take it easy on yourself and listen to what your body is telling you.
“Depending on the day and exactly what you’re going through, you’re going to have both good and bad days — recovering from surgery, dealing with stressors, and just emotionally and mentally processing everything,” Jagielo empathizes. “Just give yourself some grace, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
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