Prostate Cancer Home > Flutamide
Clinical Effects
Flutamide has been studied thoroughly in clinical trials. In these studies, men with prostate cancer that had not yet metastasized (had not widely spread) who received flutamide in combination with another prostate cancer medicine (Zoladex®) prior to and during radiation treatment had a lower risk of treatment failure than men who received only radiation treatment.In another study that included men with metastatic prostate cancer, flutamide in combination with leuprolide (Eligard®, Lupron®, Lupron Depot®) extended survival by seven months, on average, compared to leuprolide given with a placebo (a sugar pill with no active ingredients). Men given the flutamide-plus-leuprolide combination survived an average of 34.9 months, compared with 27.9 months for men given leuprolide without flutamide.
When and How to Take It
Some general considerations to keep in mind during treatment with flutamide include the following:- This medication comes in capsule form. It is usually taken by mouth three times a day, about eight hours apart.
- Take your doses at about the same times each day to keep an even level of the drug in your bloodstream.
- Flutamide can be taken with or without food. Try taking the medication with food if it upsets your stomach.
- For people who cannot swallow flutamide capsules whole, open the capsules and mix the contents with applesauce, pudding, or a similarly textured food. The food should be consumed immediately after mixing the medicine.
- Flutamide is used in combination with another prostate cancer drug. The two medicines should be started at the same time. Make sure you know how to use the other medicine, too.
- For flutamide to work properly, it must be taken as prescribed. Do not stop taking this medicine because you feel better.