Bicalutamide Oral Tablet
Name: Bicalutamide Oral Tablet
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Highlights for bicalutamide
Bicalutamide is used to treat prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of your body. It’s used in combination with another drug. This drug is called a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) analogue.
Bicalutamide comes in the form of a tablet you take by mouth.
Bicalutamide is available as the brand-name drug Casodex. It’s also available as a generic drug.
The more common side effects of this drug include breast enlargement and breast pain. They also include hot flashes, weakness, constipation, infection, nausea, and pain in your back, pelvis, or stomach.
Bicalutamide raises your risk of liver problems, including liver failure. These problems may require treatment in a hospital and they may be fatal (cause death).
IMPORTANT INFORMATION-
Liver problems See Details
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Breast changes and pain See Details
What is bicalutamide?
Bicalutamide is a prescription drug. It’s available as a tablet you take by mouth.
Bicalutamide is available as the brand-name drug Casodex. It’s also available as a generic drug. Generic drugs usually cost less. In some cases they may not be available in every strength or dosage form as the brand.
You’ll take this drug with another type of drug called a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) analogue.
Why it's used
Bicalutamide is used to treat stage D2 prostate cancer that is metastatic (has spread to other parts of your body).
How it works
Bicalutamide belongs to a class of drugs called androgen receptor inhibitors.
More Details
Bicalutamide Side Effects
More Common Side Effects
The more common side effects that can occur with bicalutamide taken with an LH-RH analogue include:
hot flashes (short periods of sweating and feeling very warm)
whole body pain
pain in your back, pelvis, and abdomen
weakness
constipation
infection
nausea
swelling in your ankles, legs, or feet
diarrhea
blood in your urine
waking from sleep at night to urinate
anemia (decreased number of red blood cells)
dizziness
breast pain or enlargement
If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Serious Side Effects
Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 9-1-1 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency. Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following:
Liver problems or liver failure. Symptoms can include:
- yellowing of your skin and whites of your eyes
- dark-colored urine
- pain in the right upper part of your abdomen
- nausea
- vomiting
- tiredness
- loss of appetite
- fever
- chills
Trouble breathing with or without a cough or fever. Bicalutamide can cause an inflammation in the lungs called interstitial lung disease. Your risk is higher if you take a dose greater than 50 mg.
Allergic reaction. Symptoms can include:
- itchy skin
- hives (raised bumps)
- swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat
- trouble swallowing
High blood sugar levels. Symptoms may include:
- urinating more often than usual
- intense thirst
- intense hunger even when you have eaten
Bicalutamide May Interact with Other Medications
Bicalutamide can interact with other medications, herbs, or vitamins you might be taking. An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well.
To help avoid interactions, your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. Be sure to tell your doctor about all medications, vitamins, or herbs you’re taking. To find out how this drug might interact with something else you’re taking, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Medications that might interact with this drug
Interactions that increase your risk of side effects- Side effects from other drugs: Taking bicalutamide with certain medications raises your risk of side effects from these drugs. Examples of these drugs include:
- Midazolam, donepezil, and colchicine. Bicalutamide can increase the levels of these drugs in your body. This can raise your risk of side effects from these medications. Your doctor will monitor you closely if you take any of these drugs with bicalutamide.
- When other drugs are less effective: When certain drugs are used with bicalutamide, they may not work as well. This is because the amount of these drugs in your body may be decreased. Examples of these drugs include:
- Blood thinners, such as warfarin. Bicalutamide can keep blood thinners from working well. Your doctor will likely monitor you closely if you take any of these drugs with bicalutamide. Your doctor may adjust your warfarin dose.
People with liver disease
This drug is broken down by your liver. If your liver doesn’t work as well as it should, this drug may build up in your body. Your doctor will likely do blood tests to check how well your liver works before and during your treatment. They may do these tests every month for the first 4 months of your treatment, and from time to time during the rest of your treatment.
People with diabetes
Your doctor may ask you to test your blood sugar levels more often. This drug is used with an LH-RH analogue. These medications can reduce your body’s glucose tolerance. This means that your body is less able to use sugar from your blood. This effect leads to high blood sugar levels.
Pregnant women
Bicalutamide is not approved for use in women and should not be used in pregnant women, especially. Bicalutamide can cause harm to a fetus when taken by a pregnant woman.
There have been no studies done in pregnant women to test bicalutamide's effect on a human fetus, but studies in pregnant animals have shown risk to a fetus. Talk to your doctor if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant and need to take this drug.
Women who are breastfeeding
It isn’t known if bicalutamide passes through human breast milk to a child who is breastfeeding. However, animal studies have shown it to pass through rat’s milk. Talk to your doctor if you’re breastfeeding. You’ll need to decide together if you should stop taking this drug or stop breastfeeding. .
For seniors
The safety and effectiveness of this drug haven’t been established in people younger than 18 years of age.
For children
This drug can be absorbed through your skin if you touch it. If you’re a woman who is pregnant or plans to become pregnant soon, you should not touch this drug. This drug can cause birth defects.
Contact with drug
This drug can cause a severe allergic reaction. Symptoms may include:
- itching
- hives (raised bumps)
- swelling of your face, lips, or tongue
- trouble breathing or swelling of your throat
If you have an allergic reaction, call your doctor or local poison control center right away. If your symptoms are severe, call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Don’t take this drug again if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to it. Taking it again could be fatal (cause death).
Allergies
Bicalutamide is not approved for use in women and should not be used in pregnant women especially. Bicalutamide can cause harm to a fetus when taken by a pregnant woman.
There have been no studies done in pregnant women to test bicalutamide’s effect on a human fetus, but studies of the drug in pregnant animals have shown risk to a fetus. Talk to your doctor if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant and need this drug.
How to Take bicalutamide (Dosage)
All possible dosages and forms may not be included here. Your dose, form, and how often you take it will depend on:
- your age
- the condition being treated
- how severe your condition is
- other medical conditions you have
- how you react to the first dose
What are you taking this medication for?
Prostate cancerGeneric: bicalutamide
Form: Oral tablet Strengths: 50 mgBrand: Casodex
Form: Oral tablet Strengths: 50 mg Adult dosage (ages 18–64 years)- Take one 50-mg tablet by mouth once per day, in the morning or evening.
- You’ll take this drug with a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue.
This drug has not been shown to be safe and effective for use in people younger than 18 years of age.
Senior dosage (ages 65 years and older)The kidneys of older adults may not work as well as they used to. This can cause your body to process drugs more slowly. As a result, more of a drug stays in your body for a longer time. This raises your risk of side effects.
Your doctor may start you on a lowered dose or a different dosing schedule. This can help keep levels of this drug from building up too much in your body.
Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this list includes all possible dosages. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always to speak with your doctor or pharmacist about dosages that are right for you. Important considerations for taking this drug