Hormone Therapy Side Effects
While hormone therapy can be an effective type of cancer treatment, it often causes side effects. It’s important to know about possible side effects when making treatment decisions. It's also important to balance the benefits and risks of any treatment as they relate to your goals and quality of life.
Why does hormone therapy cause side effects?
Hormones are chemicals made by the body that control the activity of certain cells or organs. They move through the bloodstream. Changes to the amount of a hormone in your body can affect what that hormone controls and can cause specific side effects. Some hormones affect body functions, so hormone therapy can cause many different side effects.
What do I need to know about side effects?
- Every person doesn’t get every possible side effect, and some people get few or none.
- The severity of side effects (how bad they are) varies from person to person.
- Your doctor may give you medicines to help prevent certain side effects before they happen.
- Some hormone therapy causes long-term side effects, like heart or vision problems. Still, many people have no long-term problems from hormone therapy.
While side effects can be unpleasant, they must be weighed against the need to kill the cancer cells.Talk to your cancer care team about:
- Which side effects are most common with your hormone therapy
- How long they might last
- How severe they might be
- What steps to take if side effects develop, including when and who to call
How long do side effects from hormone therapy last?
Some side effects are short-term. They go away fairly quickly after hormone therapy is started (or once it stops) or they might last for as long as you are in treatment. Examples include hot flashes or sexual changes. But some might be long-term or chronic side effects. They start during treatment but continue even after treatment is over, sometimes lasting for months or years. Examples include vision changes or heart problems.
Certain types of hormone therapy sometimes cause late side effects after treatment ends. These side effects can happen long after cancer treatment, such as bone loss (osteoporosis) or increased risk of heart disease.
People often become discouraged about how long their treatment lasts or the side effects they have. If you feel this way, do not stop taking the hormone therapy on your own. Talk to your cancer care team. They may be able to change your medicine or treatment schedule. Or they may suggest ways to reduce any pain and discomfort you have.
What are common side effects of hormone therapy?
Each person’s side effects can be different. The type of side effects that you may experience depend highly on the type and dose of hormone therapy, as well as your overall health. Side effects may be worse if you are receiving other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy (chemo) or radiation therapy. Talk to your cancer care team and ask any questions you have about hormone therapy.
Hormone therapy for prostate cancer may cause:
- Hot flashes or night sweats
- Decreased sexual desire
- Erectile dysfunction (trouble getting an erection)
- Bone loss and a higher risk for fractures
- Bone pain (especially when some types of hormone therapy are first started)
- Infertility
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Weight gain (especially around the belly) with decreased muscle mass
- Mood changes
- Memory problems
- Breast swelling (gynecomastia)
- Increased risk of other health problems, such as heart disease
Learn more in Hormone Therapy for Prostate Cancer.
Hormone therapy for breast, endometrial, or ovarian cancer may cause the following symptoms, many of which are also symptoms of menopause:
- Hot flashes or night sweats
- Vaginal discharge, dryness, or irritation
- Vaginal bleeding, that is not related to menstrual cycle
- Breast tenderness
- Menstrual changes (if still having periods)
- Decreased sexual desire
- Infertility
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Pain in muscles and joints
- Pain during vaginal sex
- Mood changes
- Bone loss and a higher risk for fractures (osteoporosis)
- Weight gain (especially around the belly) with decreased muscle mass
- Higher risk of other types of cancer, blood clots, and cataracts
Men with breast cancer who are getting hormone therapy can also experience many of these same side effects, along with erectile dysfunction.
Learn more in:
Hormone therapy for adrenal cancer involves the use of several different types of medications depending on the specific hormone produced by the tumor. The goal of this treatment is to control the levels of these hormones. Side effects vary across the different medications and hormones. Your doctor will tell you more about what to expect in your case based on the specific type of adrenal tumor you have.
Learn more in Hormone Therapy for Adrenal Cancer.
How can I help manage these side effects?
Before hormone therapy begins, talk with your cancer care team about what side effects could happen and how they can be managed. Ask questions about anything that is unclear to you. This will help you feel more prepared.
Let your cancer care team know about any new or worsening side effects or medical problems as soon as possible. This is important even if you don’t think your symptoms are serious or related to hormone therapy. Tracking side effects using a calendar or journal to note when they happen and how intense they are can also be helpful to share with your cancer care team.
Take these steps to promote your overall health and help you tolerate hormone therapy better:
- Get adequate sleep
- Be physically active
- Exercise regularly (especially strength training)
- Eat a healthy diet
- Avoid tobacco
- Limit alcohol
- Spend time with friends and family
- Seek emotional support
- Written by
- References
Developed by the American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team with medical review and contribution by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). What is hormone therapy. Accessed at cancer.net. Content is no longer available.
Burton B, Knight-Doneghy J. Hormone therapy. In Olsen MM, LeFebvre KB, Walker SL, Dunphy EP, eds. Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy Guidelines and Recommendations for Practice. 2nd ed. Pittsburgh, PA: Oncology Nursing Society; 2023:101-112.
Desai K, McManus J, Sharifi N. Hormone therapy for prostate cancer. Endocrine Reviews. 2021; 42(3), 354-373.
Fleming L, Agnew S., Peddie N, Crawford M, Dixon D, MacPherson I. The impact of medication side effects on adherence and persistence to hormone therapy in breast cancer survivors: A quantitative systematic review. The Breast. 2022; 64, 63-84.
National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines?) Breast Cancer, Version 4.2025. Accessed at https://www.nccn.org on July 11, 2025.
National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines?) Prostate Cancer. Version 2.2025. Accessed at https://www.nccn.org on July 11, 2025.
National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines?) Uterine Neoplasms. Version 3.2025. Accessed at https://www.nccn.org on July 11, 2025.
National Cancer Institute (NCI). Hormone Therapy to Treat Cancer. Updated May 15, 2025. Accessed at https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/hormone-therapy on July 11, 2025.
Last Revised: July 28, 2025
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