Formulary
Bicalutamide: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Bicalutamide clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Bicalutamide: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Bicalutamide clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
Indications and dose
**Locally advanced prostate cancer at high risk of disease progression either alone or as adjuvant treatment to prostatectomy or radiotherapy,Locally advanced, non-metastatic prostate cancer when surgical castration or other medical intervention inappropriate**
- **Adult** (By Mouth): 150 mg once daily.
**Advanced prostate cancer, in combination with gonadorelin analogue or surgical castration**
- **Adult** (By Mouth): 50 mg once daily, to be started at the same time as surgical castration or at least 3 days before gonadorelin therapy.
**Prostate cancer (metastatic) with the aim of retaining sexual function.**
- **Adult** (By Mouth): 150 mg once daily.
Cautions
Risk of photosensitivity-avoid excessive exposure to UV light and sunlight
Side effects
Common or very common Alopecia; anaemia; appetite decreased; asthenia; breast tenderness; chest pain; constipation; depression; dizziness; drowsiness; flatulence; gastrointestinal discomfort; gynaecomastia; haematuria; hair changes; hepatic disorders; hot flush; hypertransaminasaemia; nausea; oedema; sexual dysfunction; skin reactions; weight increased Uncommon Angioedema; interstitial lung disease Rare or very rare Photosensitivity reaction Frequency not known QT interval prolongation
Interactions
**Other interactions (7):**
- Although clinical studies using antipyrine as a marker of cytochrome P450 (CYP) activity showed no evidence of a drug interaction potential with Bicalutamide, mean midazolam exposure (AUC) was...
- For ciclosporin, it is recommended that plasma concentrations and clinical condition are closely monitored following initiation or cessation of Bicalutamide therapy.
- Caution should be exercised when prescribing Bicalutamide with other drugs which may inhibit drug oxidation e.g.
- In vitro studies have shown that Bicalutamide can displace the coumarin anticoagulant, warfarin, from its protein binding sites.
- There have been reports of increased effect of warfarin and other coumarin anticoagulants when co-administered with Bicalutamide.
- It is therefore recommended that if Bicalutamide is administered in patients who are concomitantly receiving coumarin anticoagulants, PT/INR should be closely monitored and adjustment of...
Hepatic impairment
Manufacturer advises caution in moderate to severe impairment (increased risk of accumulation).
Medicinal forms
Suspension
Clinical governance
**Author:** MedNext Clinical Team. **Clinical reviewer:** Dr Shameer Deen, MBBS, MS, MRCS. **Sources:** BNF, Indian Pharmacopoeia, CIMS India. **Correction:** Report errors at support@mednext.academy.
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