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Bicalutamide (Casodex®) in the treatment of prostate cancer

2004; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 4; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1586/14737140.4.1.37

1744-8328

Yves Fradet,

Hormonal and reproductive studies

Prostate cancer is an important healthcare issue in men worldwide. With the advent of prostate-specific antigen screening and improved diagnostic techniques, prostate cancer is now being diagnosed in younger men and at earlier disease stages. As a result, patients often live with their disease for many years after diagnosis. This shift in the patient profile has focused attention to the impact of treatment on quality of life. Medical/surgical castration has traditionally been the mainstay of hormonal therapy but is associated with side effects including loss of libido and impotence. Nonsteroidal antiandrogens such as bicalutamide (Casodex®) offer an effective alternative to castration with potential quality-of-life benefits. This paper reviews the evidence concerning the use of bicalutamide at all stages of the disease.