Non-Steroidal Anti-Androgens

Non-steroidal anti-androgen drugs are primarily used to treat cancer of the prostate gland. This gland is found only in men, and surrounds the urethra at the base of the penis.

This class of drugs is also sometimes referred to simply as "anti-androgens", but this is only generally correct as there are many kinds of anti-androgen drugs used for a variety of medical treatments.

A "steroid" is a type of chemical which occurs naturally or can be synthetically produced, and "non-steroidal" indicates that the product in question does not contain steroids.

Androgens are a type of natural, or synthetic , steriod sex hormone that stimulates or controls the development and maintenance of male secondary sexual characteristics. These are characteristics such as beard growth, deepening of the voice, and muscle mass. Androgens also affect sex drive in both men and women.  An example of an androgen is testosterone.

"Anti-androgens" work against the effect of the androgens in the body. This is why they are very important in prostate cancer.

How do non-steroidal anti-androgens treat prostate cancer?

Testosterone is an androgen.  It is released from the testicles. Prostate cells are sensitive to testosterone and are stimulated to grow by testosterone.   Testosterone moves through the blood stream and then binds with special receptors on the prostate gland, and stimulates the prostate cells to grow.  An anti-androgen blocks the effects that testosterone has on the prostate cells. Logically, it makes sense that using a drug that would slow the growth of the prostate cell will also minimize the growth of the cancer in the prostate. And this is exactly why non-steroidal anti-androgens are being used in the treatment of prostate gland malignancies.

What drugs in this class could my physician prescribe for my prostate cancer?

In the United States there are three main non-steroidal anti-androgens on the market:

*bicalutamide (bye-ka-LOO-ta-mide)-also known by the brand name Casodex
*flutamide (FLOO-ta-mide)-also known by the names Eulexin
*nilutamide (nye-LOO-ta-mide)-also known by the names Nilandron and Anandron

All three of these drugs are used primarily in prostate cancers that have not spread to other areas of the body. They are also often used in combination with other drugs to have the maximum impact on the cancer within the prostate gland.

Some side-effects that are common when taking non-steroidal anti-androgens are:
*mild swelling or tenderness of the nipple or breast
*diarrhea
*toxic effects on the liver (your physician will periodically take blood tests to monitor for this problem)
*headaches
*nausea and/or vomiting

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