Flutamide
Flutamide is a cancer drug. It is used to treat prostate cancer.
What is flutamide?
Flutamide is a hormonal therapy drug. It is used to treat prostate cancer.
It is best to read this information with our general information about hormonal therapy and the type of cancer you have.
Your cancer team will talk to you about this treatment and its possible side effects before you agree (consent) to have treatment.
More information about this treatment
This information is correct at time of publishing. But sometimes the types of cancer this treatment is used for, or treatment side effects, may change between revision dates.
You can talk to your cancer team if you want more detailed information about this treatment. Or visit the electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) website, which has patient information leaflets (PIL) for individual drugs.
How flutamide works
Hormones are chemicals that our bodies make. They act as messengers and help control how cells and organs work. Hormonal therapy drugs change how hormones are made or work in the body.
Most prostate cancers need the hormone testosterone to grow. Testosterone is mainly made by the testicles.
Flutamide blocks testosterone from reaching the cancer cells. This may shrink or stop the prostate cancer growing.
Flutamide is sometimes given with another hormonal therapy to reduce a side effect called tumour flare. This is when testosterone production is increased before reducing and then stopping. You start the flutamide a few days before starting the other hormonal therapy and take it for a few weeks.
How flutamide is given
You have flutamide as tablets you can take at home. You may have flutamide on its own or with other cancer drugs.
During your treatment, you will meet someone from your cancer team, such as a:
- cancer doctor
- specialist nurse
- specialist pharmacist.
This is who we mean when we mention doctor, nurse or pharmacist in this information.
Your doctor or nurse will explain why you are having flutamide and how long you will have it for.
Taking flutamide tablets
Your cancer team will discuss your treatment plan with you. You usually take the tablets 3 times a day (every 8 hours).
Always take the tablets exactly as they tell you to. This is important to make sure they work as well as possible for you. Make sure you do the following:
- Swallow the tablets whole with a glass of water, preferably after food.
- Do not chew, open, break or crush the tablets. If you do, there is a risk you might overdose, because this medicine will be absorbed into your body too quickly.
- Tell your doctor if you find it difficult to swallow the tablets whole. In this case, you can break them along the score line to make them easier to swallow. But you should not break them into smaller pieces.
If you forget to take the tablets, take the missed dose as soon as possible unless it is nearly time for the next dose. In this case, just take the next dose on time. Do not take a double dose.
Other things to remember about your tablets:
- Keep them in the original package and store at room temperature (under 25°C), away from moisture, heat and direct sunlight.
- Keep them safe, where children cannot see or reach them.
- If you are sick (vomit) just after taking them, do not take an extra dose. Take your next dose at the usual time.
- Get a new prescription before you run out, and make sure you have plenty for holidays.
- Do not throw away unused tablets. Return them to a pharmacy.
Your cancer team may also give you other medicines to take home. Take all your medicines exactly as they tell you to. Do not stop taking any of your medicines unless your doctor tells you to.
About side effects
We explain the most common side effects of this treatment here. We also include some that are less common.
You may get some of the side effects we mention, but you are unlikely to get all of them. And you may have some side effects, including rarer ones, that we have not listed here.
Other cancer treatments may cause different side effects. If you are also having other cancer treatment, you may have other side effects.
When you have this treatment, you will have regular appointments with a doctor, nurse or pharmacist. Always tell them about any side effects you have. They can give you:
- drugs to help control most side effects
- advice about managing side effects.
Most side effects can be managed. But sometimes side effects are harder to control. It is important not to stop taking hormonal therapy without telling your doctor. If side effects cannot be managed, your doctor may suggest a different type of hormonal therapy.
Serious and life-threatening side effects
Some cancer treatments can cause serious side effects. Sometimes, these may be life-threatening. Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist can explain the risk of these side effects to you.
Contact the hospital
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will give you 24-hour contact numbers for the hospital. If you feel unwell or need advice, you can call at any time of the day or night. Save these numbers in your phone or keep them somewhere safe.
Very common side effects
Hot flushes and sweats
Hot flushes are a common side effect of this treatment. During a flush, your neck and face may feel warm. If you have white skin, your skin may look red. If you have black or brown skin, your skin colour may deepen. Flushes can last up to 5 minutes. You might also have sweats or feel anxious or irritable during a flush.
Here are some things you can do to reduce the effects of hot flushes:
- Wear natural fabrics, such as cotton.
- Wear layers so you can remove clothes as needed.
- Use cotton sheets and layers of bedding you can remove.
- Try cooling pads or pillows to keep you cool.
- Keep rooms cool or use a fan.
- Have cold drinks and avoid caffeine and alcohol.
You might have fewer hot flushes as your body adjusts to this treatment. You could try therapies to help you cope with hot flushes, such as:
- talking therapies like cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)
- controlled breathing exercises
- yoga
- acupuncture.
If they do not improve, talk to your doctor. Certain drugs can help to improve hot flushes.
Flushes usually stop a few months after treatment ends. But some people continue to have them.
Sexual effects
It is common to lose your sex drive and have erection difficulties with hormonal therapy. Hormonal therapy may also make your penis shorter and your testicles smaller.
Your doctor can prescribe drugs and treatments to help with erection difficulties. These will not increase your sex drive. But they might work, even with a low sex drive.
Things can improve a few months after you stop taking the drug. But it depends on how long you take hormonal therapy, and what other treatments you have had. Some people continue to have problems after treatment ends.
Feeling sick
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist may prescribe you anti-sickness drugs to help prevent or control sickness. Take the drugs exactly as they tell you to. If you feel sick, take small sips of fluid often and eat small amounts regularly. It is important to drink enough fluids.
If you continue to feel sick, or if you are sick (vomit) 1 to 2 times in 24 hours, contact the hospital on the 24-hour number as soon as possible. They will give you advice.
Diarrhoea
This treatment may cause diarrhoea. Diarrhoea means passing more stools (poo) than is normal for you, or having watery or loose stools. You may also have stomach cramps. If you have a stoma, it may be more active than usual.
If you are passing loose stools 3 or more times a day and this is not normal for you, contact the hospital as soon as possible on the 24-hour number. Follow the advice they give you about:
- taking anti-diarrhoea medicines
- drinking enough fluids to keep you hydrated and to replace lost salts and minerals
- any changes to your diet that might help.
They might also ask you for a specimen of your stool to check for infection.
Breast swelling or tenderness
This treatment may cause swelling and tenderness of your breast tissue. This is called gynaecomastia. Another type of hormonal drug might be used to treat the breast swelling. Your doctor can give you more advice. Some people might have milk leaking from their breasts. Talk to your doctor if this happens.
Other side effects
Feeling tired (fatigue)
This treatment may cause tiredness. Try to pace yourself and plan your day so you have time to rest between activities. Being physically active can help to manage tiredness and give you more energy.
This treatment can also cause problems with sleeping. Talk to your doctor or nurse if you have difficulty sleeping.
If you feel sleepy, do not drive or operate machinery.
Effects on the liver
This treatment may affect how your liver works. This is usually mild. You will have blood tests to check how well your liver is working.
Increased appetite
Flutamide may give you a bigger appetite and you might eat more than usual. Eating healthily and being active can help you keep to a healthy weight. Your doctor, nurse or a dietitian can give you more advice.
Bone thinning (osteoporosis)
Taking this treatment for several months or more can increase the risk of bone thinning. This is called osteoporosis. It can make you more likely to get a broken bone (fracture).
You may have bone density scans to check your bone health before and during treatment. These scans can diagnose osteoporosis or osteopenia (low bone density) so that it can be monitored. If your scan shows osteoporosis, your doctor usually prescribes:
- drugs to protect your bones called bisphosphonates
- calcium and vitamin D supplements.
Regular exercise where you support your body weight, like walking, running and dancing, can help look after your bones. This is called weight-bearing exercise. Other types of strength exercises are also helpful. If you have any bone thinning or the cancer is affecting your bones, get advice from your cancer team first.
Eating a healthy diet and not smoking also helps take care of your bones.
Effects on the heart
This treatment might increase certain risk factors for heart problems. Tell your doctor if you have:
- had any problems with your heart
- high blood pressure
- high levels of cholesterol – a fatty substance in your blood.
They can monitor or treat these if needed. Talk to your doctor if you are worried about this.
Things you can do to take care of your heart include:
- not smoking
- maintaining a healthy weight
- being physically active.
Allergic reaction
This treatment might cause an allergic reaction. But this is not common. Signs of a reaction can include:
- a skin rash or itching
- feeling breathless or wheezy
- swelling of your face, mouth or throat.
If you feel unwell or have any of these signs, contact the hospital straight away on the 24-hour number. Do not take any more of this treatment until you have checked with them.
Always call 999 if swelling happens suddenly or you are struggling to breathe.
Other important information
Blood clot risk
Cancer and some cancer treatments can increase the risk of a blood clot. Contact the hospital straight away on the 24-hour number if you have any of these symptoms during or after treatment:
- throbbing pain or swelling in a leg or arm
- reddening of the skin in the area – if you have black or brown skin, this can be harder to notice, but the skin might become darker
- suddenly feeling breathless or coughing.
Always call 999 if you have:
- chest pain
- difficulty breathing.
A blood clot is serious, but it can be treated with drugs called anticoagulants. These thin the blood. Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist can give you more information about preventing and treating blood clots.
Other medicines
Some medicines can affect how this treatment works or be harmful while you are having it. Always tell your cancer doctor, nurse or pharmacist about any drugs you are taking or planning to take, such as:
- medicines you have been prescribed
- medicines you buy in a shop, pharmacy or online
- vitamins or supplements
- herbal drugs and complementary or homeopathic therapies
- recreational drugs – for example, cannabis.
Lactose
This treatment may contain lactose. If you have a lactose allergy or intolerance, ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for more information.
Alcohol
You should not drink large amounts of alcohol while taking flutamide. Talk to your nurse or doctor if this might be a problem for you.
Contraception
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will advise you not to make someone pregnant while having this treatment. The drug may harm the developing baby. It is important to use effective contraception during treatment and for a while after it finishes.
Fertility
Some cancer drugs can affect whether you can get pregnant or make someone pregnant. If you are worried about this, it is important to talk with your doctor before you start treatment.
Medical and dental treatment
If you need medical treatment for any reason other than cancer, always tell the healthcare professional that you are having cancer treatment. Give them the contact details for your cancer doctor or cancer team so they can ask for advice.
If you have appointments with a dentist, always tell them you are having cancer treatment. Talk to your cancer team before you have any dental treatment.
About our information
This information has been written, revised and edited by Macmillan Cancer Support’s Cancer Information Development team. It has been reviewed by expert medical and health professionals and people living with cancer.
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References
Visit the electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) to download a Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) for more detailed information. The leaflet lists all known side effects.
Date reviewed
Our cancer information meets the PIF TICK quality mark.
This means it is easy to use, up-to-date and based on the latest evidence. Learn more about how we produce our information.
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We want our information to be as clear as possible. To do this, we try to:
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