Bicalutamide is an oral non-steroidal anti-androgenic drug used to treat stage 2 metastatic prostate cancer. It was approved by the FDA on 19 December 2008.

Bicalutamide is in a class of medications called nonsteroidal antiandrogens. It works by blocking the effect of androgen (a male hormone) to stop the growth and spread of cancer cells in the prostate gland (located just below the bladder in men). It is indicated for use in combination therapy with a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist to treat Stage D2 metastatic carcinoma of the prostate.

Bicalutamide is a prescribed drug available as a 50 mg tablet. The recommended dose in combination with a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) analog is one 50 mg tablet once daily (morning or evening) to treat stage D2 metastatic prostate cancer. Your healthcare physician will prescribe the medicine based on the condition.

The common side effects of bicalutamide are swelling in the leg, hand, and ankles, hot flashes, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, infections, back pain, chills,  pain in the pelvis, weakness, blood in urine, frequent urination at night, difficulty in breathing, dizziness, cough, loss of appetite, changes in weight. Other serious side effects include heart failure, heart attack, and liver damage. Inform your physician if you face any of the symptoms.

Bicalutamide tablets are contraindicated in those who have allergic reactions to the drug or any of the tablet’s components. The symptoms of the hypersensitivity reaction include rash, redness, inflammation in the skin, and swelling in the legs, hands, and ankles. If you suffer from any of these symptoms, notify your physician immediately. Severe liver injury and bleeding have been reported with the continuous use of Bicalutamide. Your physician may take blood tests before, during, and after the treatment to monitor your liver function and the possibility of bleeding.

The drug may cause allergic reactions; notify your doctor if you see any signs of rash, itchy skin, redness in the skin, Swelling of your lips or tongue, sudden cough, and low blood pressure. Avoid pregnancy while taking Bicalutamide because this drug may cause infertility. Talk to your healthcare provider before planning for pregnancy. Inform your physician if you have noticed any symptoms of bleeding. Inform your physician if you have diabetes, heart disease, gastrointestinal disease, kidney disease, liver disease, lung disease, blood/bleeding problems, or infection and about all the other prescribed, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, nutritional supplements, or herbal medications you take.

Keep this medicine out of sight and reach of children. Store the tablets at room temperature. Avoid keeping the tablet in direct sunlight or in excessive moisture. Bicalutamide may cause dizziness if you are affected by this side effect, then do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs alertness until you can do it safely.

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4. Bicalutamide. go.drugbank.com. Published December 20, 2022. (Accessed December 22, 2022). https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB01128
5. Liu C, Armstrong CM, Lou W, Lombard AP, Cucchiara V, Gu X, Yang JC, Nadiminty N, Pan CX, Evans CP, Gao AC. Niclosamide and Bicalutamide Combination Treatment Overcomes Enzalutamide- and Bicalutamide-Resistant Prostate Cancer. Mol Cancer Ther. 2017 Aug;16(8):1521-1530. doi: 10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-16-0912. Epub 2017 May 12. PMID: 28500234; PMCID: PMC5544572.

The drug information on this page is not a substitute for medical advice. It is meant for educational purposes only. For further details, consult your doctor about your medical condition to know if you can receive this treatment.