Enzalutamide or abiraterone?
April 01, 2021
Enzalutamide and abiraterone are both types of hormone therapy that treat advanced prostate cancer.
Your hospital doctor will talk to you about which drug is most suitable for you. For example, enzalutamide may be a better option than abiraterone if your cancer has spread to the liver or lungs, or if you can`t take steroids. Abiraterone must be taken with a steroid.
But abiraterone may be a better option than enzalutamide if you`ve had:
any falls
any seizures (fits) or you have an increased risk of seizures
extreme tiredness (fatigue)
problems with memory or concentration.
This is because enzalutamide can increase your risk of these problems.
Some men may find enzalutamide easier to take because, unlike abiraterone, you don`t need to take it on an empty stomach and you don`t need to take steroids. But some men want to avoid the tiredness that enzalutamide can cause, and prefer to take abiraterone.
Speak to your doctor or specialist nurse about which treatments might be suitable for you and when to have them. You can also talk things through with our Specialist Nurses.
Other health problems and medicines
Tell your doctor if you have any heart or kidney problems. Enzalutamide may not be suitable for you if you`ve had seizures, a stroke or injury to your brain in the past, or if the cancer has spread to your brain.
Enzalutamide may affect how some other medicines work. And some medicines can affect how well enzalutamide works. Tell your doctor if you are taking medicines for any other health problems, including:
high cholesterol
pain
epilepsy
severe anxiety or schizophrenia
sleep problems
heart problems or high blood pressure
thyroid problems
gout.
Other treatment options
If enzalutamide isn`t suitable for you, or if you choose not to have it, your doctor may offer you a different treatment. Possible treatments for advanced prostate cancer that has stopped responding to other types of hormone therapy include:
abiraterone
chemotherapy (docetaxel or cabazitaxel)
steroids
radium-223
less commonly, oestrogens.
Speak to your doctor about your treatment options. They can also tell you about any clinical trials that might be suitable for you.
