Table of Contents

Chapter 6: Using Hormone Therapy

iii. Antiandrogens

The sexual side effects of the antiandrogens when given alone are typically far fewer compared with the LHRH agonists. They therefore can be a good option for men who are concerned about the effects of testosterone loss, but might not be as effective as orchiectomy or LHRH agonists and are not the optimal choice for men with documented metastatic prostate cancer.

As described in more detail above, LHRH agonists cause what is known as a "flare" reaction because of an initial transient rise in testosterone. This can result in a variety of symptoms ranging from bone pain to urinary frequency or difficulty. To counteract this effect, an antiandrogen is often added to the LHRH agonist for at least the first 4 weeks of therapy when the flare typically occurs. In this setting, antiandrogens can be helpful in preventing the flare reaction.