Cancer-Related Nausea: Causes and Treatment Options

Two symptoms you may experience during your cancer journey are nausea and vomiting. Cancer itself can cause these symptoms, but your treatments can also contribute. The good news is that there are remedies available to you, including at-home strategies you can try.

Here’s why cancer and cancer treatments cause nausea and vomiting.

Kellie Rath, MD, a women’s health doctor specializing in gynecological oncology at OhioHealth, said nausea and vomiting can be cancer symptoms. “Nausea and vomiting in cancer patients can be related to cancer itself, making the patient feel sick and not be able to eat normally,” Dr. Rath said.

In addition, nausea and vomiting may arise from cancer treatment,. For example, nausea is a common side effect of receiving chemotherapy. Fortunately, Dr. Rath pointed out that nausea and vomiting due to cancer treatments can often be successfully treated with medications. “Always report these symptoms to [your] care team so they can help manage those symptoms by adding medications,” she said.

Other reasons for nausea and vomiting are:

• Stress

• Treatment anxiety

• Brain tumors

• Chemotherapy medications that affect your mouth, throat, stomach, or intestines

• Radiation therapy or a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy

If you have cancer and are experiencing symptoms of nausea and vomiting, there are various treatment approaches.

Listed below are some tips for preventing nausea and how to stop vomiting in patients with cancer:

• Rest in a quiet, relaxing place, sitting upright for at least an hour after a meal.

• Use distractions like music, TV, or your loved ones to keep your mind off feeling sick.

• Take anti-nausea medications right when you begin feeling nauseous.

• Practice deep breathing after you’ve taken anti-nausea medications.

• Speak with your cancer healthcare team to get medical advice on preventing nausea.

• Try home remedies like eating ginger, drinking fluids with electrolytes, and getting fresh air.

Another tip used for nausea and vomiting in patients with cancer is to be aware of smell and taste triggers during cancer treatment. Certain scents and tastes, anxiety, and pain before, during, or after cancer treatment can lead to nausea and vomiting. To prevent or limit occurrences of these symptoms, find your triggers and do your best to avoid them.

“Know that there may be many smells that may prevent you from eating or induce vomiting,” Dr. Rath said. “Knowing what those are can help you avoid vomiting and nausea associated with cancer treatment.”

Here are some additional tips for eating with nausea and vomiting cancer symptoms:

• Eat small but frequent meals daily.

• Avoid eating foods that have a strong odor.

• Eat a light meal after receiving chemotherapy or other cancer-related treatment.

• Chew your food slowly and sit upright for at least one hour after eating to aid digestion.

• Avoid foods that are greasy, fried, creamy, or spicy.

• Try to eat dry foods as your first meal in the morning.

Contact your healthcare provider if you begin to experience nausea and vomiting. Try to explain how often your symptoms occur and how much or little food and liquids you can hold before becoming sick. Your healthcare team can provide medication or additional tips to stop these symptoms.

“Your doctor and care team would provide you with medications, along with your treatment, that would prevent the nausea and vomiting,” Dr. Rath added.