Drug Detail:Nilutamide (Nilutamide [ nih-lute-ah-mide ])
Drug Class: Antiandrogens Hormones / antineoplastics
Usual Adult Dose for Prostate Cancer
- Initial dose: 300 mg orally once a day for first 30 days
- Maintenance dose: 150 mg orally once a day after first 30 days
- Comments: For maximum benefit, treatment should begin on the same day or the day after surgical castration.
Use: Treatment of metastatic prostate cancer (Stage D2) in combination with surgical castration.
Renal Dose Adjustments
Data not available.
Liver Dose Adjustments
Severe liver impairment: Contraindicated
Precautions
US BOXED WARNING:
- Interstitial pneumonitis has been reported in 2% of patients in controlled clinical trials. A small study in Japanese subjects showed that 17% of patients developed interstitial pneumonitis. There have been rare postmarketing reports of interstitial changes, including pulmonary fibrosis, that led to hospitalization and death. Symptoms included exertional dyspnea, cough, chest pain, and fever. Most cases occurred within the first 3 months of treatment and most reversed with treatment discontinuation. A routine chest X-ray should be performed prior to treatment initiation; baseline pulmonary function tests may be considered. Patients should be instructed to report new or worsening shortness of breath they experience during treatment. If symptoms occur, treatment should be immediately discontinued until it can be determined if the symptoms are drug-related.
Safety and efficacy have not been established in patients younger than 18 years.
Consult WARNINGS section for additional precautions.
Dialysis
Data not available.
Other Comments
Administration Advice:
- Take with or without food.
- Patients should not interrupt dosing or stop treatment without medical consultation.
General:
- In case of overdose, minimize the absorption of the drug (e.g., with oral administration of activated charcoal), induce vomiting (if that does not occur spontaneously and the patient is alert), and provide general supportive care. Dialysis may not be of benefit since this drug is 80% to 84% protein-bound.
Monitoring:
- Cardiovascular: QT interval
- Hepatic: Transaminase levels
- Respiratory: Chest X-ray (baseline), pulmonary function testing (baseline)
Patient Advice:
- This drug may cause alcohol intolerance and vision problems. Avoid drinking alcohol, and doing activities such as driving (especially at night and through tunnels) and operating machinery until you know how this drug affects you.