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warnings and cautions
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Severe hepatic injury and fatal hepatic failure have been observed. Monitor serum transaminase levels prior to starting treatment with bicalutamide, at regular intervals for the first four months of treatment and periodically thereafter, and for symptoms or signs suggestive of hepatic dysfunction. Use bicalutamide with caution in patients with hepatic impairment. ( 5.1 ) Gynecomastia and breast pain have been reported during treatment with bicalutamide 150 mg when used as a single agent. ( 5.2 ) Bicalutamide is used in combination with an LHRH agonist. LHRH agonists have been shown to cause a reduction in glucose tolerance in males. Consideration should be given to monitoring blood glucose in patients receiving bicalutamide in combination with LHRH agonists. ( 5.3 ) Monitoring Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) is recommended. Evaluate for clinical progression if PSA increases. ( 5.4 ) Cases of death or hospitalization due to severe liver injury (hepatic failure) have been reported post-marketing in association with the use of bicalutamide. Hepatotoxicity in these reports generally occurred within the first three to four months of treatment. Hepatitis or marked increases in liver enzymes leading to drug discontinuation occurred in approximately 1% of bicalutamide patients in controlled clinical trials. Serum transaminase levels should be measured prior to starting treatment with bicalutamide, at regular intervals for the first four months of treatment, and periodically thereafter. If clinical symptoms or signs suggestive of liver dysfunction occur (e.g., nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fatigue, anorexia, “flu-like” symptoms, dark urine, jaundice, or right upper quadrant tenderness), the serum transaminases, in particular the serum ALT, should be measured immediately. If at any time a patient has jaundice, or their ALT rises above two times the upper limit of normal, bicalutamide should be immediately discontinued with close follow-up of liver function. In clinical trials with bicalutamide 150 mg as a single agent for prostate cancer, gynecomastia and breast pain have been reported in up to 38% and 39% of patients, respectively. A reduction in glucose tolerance has been observed in males receiving LHRH agonists. This may manifest as diabetes or loss of glycemic control in those with pre-existing diabetes. Consideration should therefore be given to monitoring blood glucose in patients receiving bicalutamide in combination with LHRH agonists. Regular assessments of serum Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) may be helpful in monitoring the patient’s response. If PSA levels rise during bicalutamide therapy, the patient should be evaluated for clinical progression. For patients who have objective progression of disease together with an elevated PSA, a treatment-free period of antiandrogen, while continuing the LHRH analog, may be considered.
ADVERSE REACTIONS Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. In patients with advanced prostate cancer treated with bicalutamide in combination with an LHRH analog, the most frequent adverse reaction was hot flashes (53%). In the multicenter, double-blind, controlled clinical trial comparing bicalutamide 50 mg once daily with flutamide 250 mg three times a day, each in combination with an LHRH analog, the following adverse reactions with an incidence of 5% or greater, regardless of causality, have been reported. Table 1. Incidence of Adverse Reactions (≥ 5% in Either Treatment Group) Regardless of Causality Treatment Group Number of Patients (%) Body System Adverse Reaction Bicalutamide Plus LHRH Analog (n=401) Flutamide Plus LHRH Analog (n=407) Body as a Whole Pain (General) 142 (35) 127 (31) Back Pain 102 (25) 105 (26) Asthenia 89 (22) 87 (21) Pelvic Pain 85 (21) 70 (17) Infection 71 (18) 57 (14) Abdominal Pain 46 (11) 46 (11) Chest Pain 34 (8) 34 (8) Headache 29 (7) 27 (7) Flu Syndrome 28 (7) 30 (7) Cardiovascular Hot Flashes 211 (53) 217 (53) Hypertension 34 (8) 29 (7) Digestive Constipation 87 (22) 69 (17) Nausea 62 (15) 58 (14) Diarrhea 49 (12) 107 (26) Increased Liver Enzyme Test 30 (7) 46 (11) Dyspepsia 30 (7) 23 (6) Flatulence 26 (6) 22 (5) Anorexia 25 (6) 29 (7) Vomiting 24 (6) 32 (8) Hemic and Lymphatic Anemia 45 (11) 53 (13) Metabolic and Nutritional Peripheral Edema 53 (13) 42 (10) Weight Loss 30 (7) 39 (10) Hyperglycemia 26 (6) 27 (7) Alkaline Phosphatase Increased 22 (5) 24 (6) Weight Gain 22 (5) 18 (4) Muscoloskeletal Bone Pain 37 (9) 43 (11) Myasthenia 27 (7) 19 (5) Arthritis 21 (5) 29 (7) Pathological Fracture 17 (4) 32 (8) Nervous System Dizziness 41 (10) 35 (9) Paresthesia 31 (8) 40 (10) Insomnia 27 (7) 39 (10) Anxiety 20 (5) 9 (2) Depression 16 (4) 33 (8) Respiratory System Dyspnea 51 (13) 32 (8) Cough Increased 33 (8) 24 (6) Pharyngitis 32 (8) 23 (6) Bronchitis 24 (6) 22 (3) Pneumonia 18 (4) 19 (5) Rhinitis 15 (4) 22 (5) Skin and Appendages Rash 35 (9) 30 (7) Sweating 25 (6) 20 (5) Urogenital Nocturia 49 (12) 55 (14) Hematuria 48 (12) 26 (6) Urinary Tract Infection 35 (9) 36 (9) Gynecomastia 36 (9) 30 (7) Impotence 27 (7) 35 (9) Breast Pain 23 (6) 15 (4) Urinary Frequency 23 (6) 29 (7) Urinary Retention 20 (5) 14 (3) Urinary Impaired 19 (5) 15 (4) Urinary Incontinence 15 (4) 32 (8) Other adverse reactions (greater than or equal to 2%, but less than 5%) reported in the bicalutamide-LHRH analog treatment group are listed below by body system and are in order of decreasing frequency within each body system regardless of causality. Neoplasm; Neck Pain; Fever; Chills; Sepsis; Hernia; Cyst Angina Pectoris; Congestive Heart Failure; Myocardial Infarct; Heart Arrest; Coronary Artery Disorder; Syncope Melena; Rectal Hemorrhage; Dry Mouth; Dysphagia; Gastrointestinal Disorder; Periodontal Abscess; Gastrointestinal Carcinoma Edema; BUN Increased; Creatinine Increased; Dehydration; Gout; Hypercholesteremia Myalgia; Leg Cramps Hypertonia; Confusion; Somnolence; Libido Decreased; Neuropathy; Nervousness Lung Disorder; Asthma; Epistaxis; Sinusitis Dry Skin; Alopecia; Pruritus; Herpes Zoster; Skin Carcinoma; Skin Disorder Cataract specified Dysuria; Urinary Urgency; Hydronephrosis; Urinary Tract Disorder Laboratory abnormalities including elevated AST, ALT, bilirubin, BUN, and creatinine and decreased hemoglobin and white cell count have been reported in both bicalutamide-LHRH analog treated and flutamide-LHRH analog treated patients. The following adverse reactions have been identified during postapproval use of bicalutamide. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Uncommon cases of hypersensitivity reactions, including angioneurotic edema and urticaria have been seen [see Contraindications ( 4.1 )] . Cases of interstitial lung disease (some fatal), including interstitial pneumonitis and pulmonary fibrosis, have been reported with bicalutamide. Interstitial lung disease has been reported most often at doses greater than 50 mg. A few cases of fatal hepatic failure have been reported. Reduction in glucose tolerance, manifesting as diabetes or a loss of glycemic control in those with pre-existing diabetes, has been reported during treatment with LHRH agonists.