When you have been treated with either surgical or chemical castration, your doctor may recommend additional treatment with anti-androgen therapy. The most common anti-androgen drug to manage castration-resistant prostate cancer is bicalutamide. Treatment with this drug aims to slow down the growth of the tumour. It will not relieve your symptoms. Side effects may include swelling of the breasts and liver problems.
Stopping anti-androgen treatment
If you have been treated with LHRH agonists or antagonists in combination with anti-androgen therapy, your doctor may recommend to stop taking the anti-androgen drugs. This approach may lower the level of PSA in your blood for a few months. The effect will be seen 4-6 weeks after you stop taking the drugs.
