Patient Medication Information: uses, side effects, how to take - Casodex

ABOUT THIS MEDICATION

What the medication is used for:

CASODEX is used in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer in combination with other drugs (LHRH analogues) which reduce the levels of androgens in the body or surgery.

What it does:

Androgens are male sex hormones within the body which can cause tumour growth within the prostate. CASODEX belongs to a group of medicines called non-steroidal anti-androgens. This means that CASODEX interferes with some of the actions of androgens to prevent the tumour from growing.

What are the Stages of Prostate Cancer:

Localized disease – the early stages of disease when prostate cancer is confined to the prostate gland.
Locally advanced disease – the disease progresses and the cancer spreads to other tissues within the pelvis.
Advanced or metastatic disease – the disease progresses to other parts of the body.

The PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test is a simple blood test for a protein produced by the prostate (PSA). This test has helped in the detection of prostate cancer resulting in an increase in the number of men whose prostate cancer is detected at an early stage.

What are the Treatment Options for Localized Prostate Cancer:

The optimal treatment for a given individual will depend on the specific circumstances of his case. For localized disease, patients are usually offered one of the following:

Surgery to remove the prostate
Targeted radiotherapy to kill the cancer cells in the prostate
No treatment initially (watchful waiting) whereby the patient is monitored until there are signs of progression before treatment is started.

When it should not be used:

Do not take CASODEX if you have early phase (localized) prostate cancer requiring watchful waiting.
Do not take CASODEX if you are allergic to bicalutamide or any of the nonmedicinal ingredients in CASODEX.
CASODEX must not be taken by women, including pregnant women or mothers who are breast feeding their babies.
CASODEX must not be given to children.

What the medicinal ingredient is:

The active ingredient in CASODEX is bicalutamide.

What the important nonmedicinal ingredients are:

Each tablet contains the following inactive ingredients: lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, methylhydroxypropylcellulose, polyethylene glycol 300, polyvidone, sodium starch glycollate and titanium dioxide.

What dosage forms it comes in:

CASODEX comes in tablets containing 50 milligrams (mg) of bicalutamide as the active ingredient.

CASODEX comes in blister strips of 15 tablets, 30 tablets per package.

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

CASODEX should only be prescribed by a doctor experienced with the treatment of prostate cancer. CASODEX 150mg/day dose should not be used. CASODEX may rarely be associated with liver failure; some cases have been fatal. CASODEX may be associated with uncommon cases of interstitial lung disease; some cases have been fatal.

BEFORE you use CASODEX talk to your doctor or pharmacist if:

You have liver disease.
You have lung disease.
You have low bone mineral density (BMD).
You have low red blood cell count (anemia).
You are taking blood thinners or medicines to prevent blood clots.
You have heart or blood vessel conditions, including heart disease, a heart condition called ‘long QT syndrome’ or family history of this heart condition., heart rhythm problems (arrhythmia), or are being treated with medicines for these conditions. The risk of heart rhythm problems may be increased in such patients when using CASODEX.

If you go into hospital let the medical staff know you are taking CASODEX.

If you are taking CASODEX, you and/or your partner should use birth control while you are taking CASODEX and for at least 130 days after stopping CASODEX. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions about birth control.

CASODEX may have an effect on male fertility which could be reversible.

Avoid direct exposure to excessive sunlight or UV-light while you are taking CASODEX.

CASODEX may make you feel sleepy. Do not drive or use machines until you know how the drug affects you.

INTERACTIONS WITH THIS MEDICATION

Please inform your doctor if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, even those not prescribed.

In particular please inform your doctor if you are taking blood thinners like warfarin or medicines to prevent blood clots.
If you are taking any medicines that may increase the risk of having an abnormal heart rhythm.
If you are taking medicines used to treat heart rhythm problems.

PROPER USE OF THIS MEDICATION

Follow your doctor's instructions about when and how to take your tablets. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.

The usual adult dose is 50 mg daily.
Swallow the tablet(s) whole with a drink of water.
Try to take your dose at the same time each day.

During the first few months of use, you may be monitored by your physician for signs of changes in your liver function. In approximately 2.0% of patients, such changes may lead to withdrawal of therapy.

If you experience a rise in PSA while taking CASODEX, your physician may discontinue CASODEX for several weeks in order to monitor your condition off treatment.

Overdose:

In case of drug overdose, contact a health care practitioner, hospital emergency department or regional Poison Control Centre immediately, even if there are no symptoms.

Missed Dose:

You should take CASODEX as prescribed. However, if you miss a dose do not take an extra dose, just resume your usual schedule.

SIDE EFFECTS AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM

Like all medicines, CASODEX 50 mg can have side effects.

Side effects that are very common (more than 10 in every 100 patients are likely to have them):

dizziness
nausea
hot flushes
feeling weak
decreased red blood cell count (anemia)
puffiness/swelling
constipation

Side effects that are common (1 to 10 in every 100 patients are likely to have them):

loss of appetite
reduced sex drive
depression
sleepiness
indigestion
flatulence
loss of hair or hair re-growth
rash
itching
dry skin
impotence
chest pain
tender or enlarged breast tissue
weight gain
heart failure
heart attack

Occasionally CASODEX may be associated with changes in your blood which may require your doctor to do certain blood tests.

SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS, HOW OFTEN THEY HAPPEN AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM
Symptom / effect	Talk with your doctor or pharmacist			Stop taking drug and call your doctor or pharmacist
Symptom / effect	Only if severe	In all cases
Very Common (more than 10 in every 100 patients are likely to have them)
Blood in urine			√
Abdominal pain			√
Common (1 to 10 in every 100 patients are likely to have them)
Yellow skin and eyes (jaundice). These may be symptoms of liver damage.			√
Heart failure (reduced heart function)			√
Heart attack			√
Uncommon (1 to 10 in every 1000 patients are likely to have them)

SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS, HOW OFTEN THEY HAPPEN AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM

Symptom / effect	Talk with your doctor or pharmacist	Stop taking drug and call your doctor or pharmacist

Only if severe	In all cases
Serious breathlessness, or sudden worsening of breathlessness, possibly with a cough or fever. Some patients taking CASODEX 50 mg get an inflammation of the lungs called interstitial lung disease.		√
Severe itching of the skin (with raised lumps) or swelling of the face, lips, tongue and/or throat, which may cause difficulty in swallowing		√
Rare (1 to 10 in every 10,000 patients are likely to have them)
increased skin sensitivity to sunlight		√

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you think you have any of these or any other problems with your tablets.

This is not a complete list of side effects. For any unexpected effects while taking CASODEX, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

HOW TO STORE IT

Keep your tablets in the container they came in.
Do not take your tablets after the expiry date on the container. Dispose of them in an appropriate way.
Keep your tablets in a safe place where children cannot see or reach them. Your tablets could harm them.
Keep your tablets at room temperature (15 to 30°C).

REPORTING SUSPECTED SIDE EFFECTS

You can report any suspected adverse reactions associated with the use of health products to the Canada Vigilance Program by one of the following 3 ways:

Report online at www.healthcanada.gc.ca/medeffect
Call toll-free at 1-866-234-2345
Complete a Canada Vigilance Reporting Form and:
- Fax toll-free to 1-866-678-6789, or
- Mail to: Canada Vigilance Program
  Health Canada
  Postal Locator 0701D
  Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9

Postage paid labels, Canada Vigilance Reporting Form and the adverse reaction reporting guidelines are available on the MedEffect™ Canada Web site at www.healthcanada.gc.ca/medeffect.

NOTE: Should you require information related to the management of side effects, please contact your health professional. The Canada Vigilance Program does not provide medical advice.

MORE INFORMATION

NOTE: This CONSUMER INFORMATION leaflet provides you with the most current information at the time of printing.

For the most current information, the Consumer Information Leaflet plus the full Product Monograph, prepared for health professionals can be found at:

www.astrazeneca.ca

or by contacting the sponsor, AstraZeneca Canada Inc. at:

Customer Inquiries – 1 (800) 668-6000,

Renseignements – 1 (800) 461-3787

AstraZeneca Canada Inc. Mississauga, Ontario L4Y 1M4

CASODEX^®is a registered trademark of AstraZeneca UK Limited, used under license by AstraZeneca Canada Inc.

The AstraZeneca logo is a registered trademark of AstraZeneca AB, used under license by AstraZeneca Canada Inc.

Rx or OTC	Prescription (Rx)?
DIN	02184478
Schedule(s)	PRESCRIPTION
Active ingredient(s)	Bicalutamide 50 MG
Dosage form(s)	Tablet
Route(s) of administration	Oral
Drug class (WHO ATC)	L Antineoplastic and immunomodulating agents L02 Endocrine therapy antineoplastic and immunomodulating agents L02B Hormone antagonists and related agents L02BB Anti-androgen hormone antagonists and related agents L02BB03 Bicalutamide
Company	ASTRAZENECA CANADA INC
Current status	Cancelled Post Market
Current status date	March 7, 2025

Casodex: Uses, Side Effects and Dosage