Anti-androgen
drug therapy
These
drugs do not stop the production of testosterone but help to reduce
its effect of stimulating the prostate cancer. They are given
as tablets and so offer an alternative to those patients who cannot
face an operation or routine injections.
What
are the risks and adverse side-effects of anti-androgen therapy?
Although there is still a risk of impotence, the adverse sexual
side-effects are less severe than with orchidectomy and LH-RH
agonists.
They
can cause stomach upsets and diarrhoea, and may damage the liver.
You will therefore need routine blood tests to check your liver
function.
Most
importantly, they are not felt to be as effective in controlling
the cancer as the other therapies. Like the LH-RH agonist drugs
it cannot be predicted how long it will be effective for.
