Abiraterone

Generic name: Abiraterone Acetate
Dosage form: oral tablet (125 mg; 250 mg; 500 mg)
Drug class: Miscellaneous antineoplastics

Usage of Abiraterone

Abiraterone works by reducing androgen production in the body. Androgens are male hormones that can promote tumor growth in the prostate gland.

Abiraterone is used together with steroid medication (prednisone or methylprednisolone) to treat prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. abiraterone is used in men whose prostate cancer cannot be treated with surgery or other medicines.

It is not known if abiraterone acetate tablets are safe or effective in females or children.

Abiraterone side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to abiraterone: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

swelling in your ankles or feet, pain in your legs;

fast or irregular heartbeats;

a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;

severe headache, blurred vision, pounding in your neck or ears;

pain or burning when you urinate;

low red blood cells (anemia) - pale skin, tiredness, feeling light-headed or short of breath, cold hands and feet;

low blood potassium - leg cramps, constipation, irregular heartbeats, fluttering in your chest, increased thirst or urination, numbness or tingling, muscle weakness or limp feeling;

liver problems - stomach pain (upper right side), nausea, vomiting, dark urine, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or

low blood sugar - headache, hunger, sweating, irritability, dizziness, fast heart rate, and feeling anxious or shaky.

Common abiraterone side effects may include:

feeling very weak or tired;

feeling very hot;

high blood sugar;

increased blood pressure;

swelling in your legs or feet;

anemia, low blood potassium;

painful urination;

abnormal liver function tests or other blood tests;

joint pain or swelling;

headache;

nausea, vomiting, diarrhea; or

cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, cough, sore throat.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Abiraterone

Abiraterone is not for use by women or children.

To make sure this medicine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:

liver disease;

diabetes (especially if you use pioglitazone or repaglinide);

heart problems, high blood pressure;

a heart attack;

low levels of potassium in your blood; or

problems with your adrenal gland or pituitary gland.

Abiraterone can harm an unborn baby if a woman is exposed to it during pregnancy. An abiraterone tablet should not be handled by a woman who is pregnant or may become pregnant. The medicine from a broken tablet could be absorbed through the skin.

Abiraterone can also harm an unborn baby if the father is taking this medicine at the time of conception or during pregnancy.

Use effective birth control if your sex partner is pregnant or able to get pregnant. Keep using birth control for at least 3 weeks after your last dose.

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How to use Abiraterone

Usual Adult Dose for Prostate Cancer:

Metastatic CRPC: -Regular formulation: 1000 mg orally once daily (in combination with methylprednisolone 5 mg orally 2 times daily) -Micronized formulation: 500 mg orally once daily (in combination with methylprednisolone 4 mg orally 2 times daily) Metastatic high-risk CSPC: -Regular formulation: 1000 mg orally once daily (in combination with methylprednisolone 5 mg orally once daily) -Micronized formulation: 500 mg orally once daily (in combination with methylprednisolone 4 mg orally 2 times a day) Comments: -Patients receiving this drug should also receive a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analog concurrently or should have had bilateral orchiectomy. NOTE: Different abiraterone acetate formulations have different indications and different dosing. Below are suggested dosing guidelines. Refer to the manufacturer product information before prescribing this drug. Uses: In combination with prednisone for the treatment of patients with: -Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) -Metastatic high-risk castration-sensitive prostate cancer (CSPC)

Warnings

Abiraterone tablets should not be handled by a woman who is pregnant or who may become pregnant. This medicine can harm an unborn baby or cause miscarriage.

You should not use abiraterone if you are allergic to it.

What other drugs will affect Abiraterone

Sometimes it is not safe to use certain medications at the same time. Some drugs can affect your blood levels of other drugs you take, which may increase side effects or make the medications less effective.

Tell your doctor about all your current medicines. Many drugs can interact with abiraterone, especially:

other prostate cancer medicines, especially radium Ra 223 (may increase your risk of fractures while you are taking abiraterone); or

pioglitazone or repaglinide to treat diabetes (may cause severe low blood sugar hypoglycemia while you are taking abiraterone.

This list is not complete and many other drugs may affect abiraterone. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

Popular FAQ

Zytiga is taken with prednisone to help manage side effects that might occur with this prostate cancer treatment. Zytiga blocks the production of cortisol from your adrenal glands. Prednisone helps to replace the lost cortisol that can cause side effects such as low blood potassium levels, fluid build up (edema), or high blood pressure. Continue reading

Abiraterone works by blocking the effects of an enzyme (called CYP17) that is found in testicular, adrenal, and prostate tumor tissue that is necessary for the production of testosterone and other androgens. By blocking this enzyme, abiraterone reduces the production of testosterone and other androgens which stimulate prostate cancer cells to grow. Abiraterone inhibits androgen at 3 sources—the testes, the adrenal glands, AND the tumor itself. Continue reading

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