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Side Effects of Flutamide

Flutamide is a cancer drug used to treat prostate cancer. Medicinenet.com explains that this drug is most effective when used with other cancer medications. Women should not use Flutamide. This drug, like many other cancer drugs, can cause mild to severe side effects.

  1. Liver damage

    • Drugs.com states that hepatitis and toxicity within the liver have been reported. During the 1990's, four cases of severe liver damage resulted in death. Alkaline phosphatase and serum aminotransferases both increased greatly in these cases, states drugs.com. These patients also experienced nausea, vomiting, weight loss, anorexia and fatigue. Generally, common side effects include jaundice, hepatic necrosis, brain and nervous system damage due to liver problems and in some cases, liver failure and death.

    Hematologic/Nervous System

    • Patients who have been treated with Flutamide have experienced many mild to serious hematologic side effects. As explained by drugs.com, these include anemia, decrease in white blood cells, decrease in the number of platelets in the blood and methemoglobinemia which is when the blood cannot recycle hemoglobin after it is damaged. Common nervous system side effects include drowsiness, sedation, confusion and dizziness, states drugs.com. These occur in less than 1 percent of those treated with this drug.

    Dermatologic/Endocrine

    • Dermatologic side effects have been common in those taking Flutamide. These include skin sensitivity, blistering, skin erosion when in sunlight, rash and sweating, according to drugs.com. In other, rare cases, hair loss, photoallergy and lesions on the skin have been experienced. Hot flashes were reported by 29 to 63 percent of men taking Flutamide, says drugs.com. Other side effects include fever, breast enlargement and tender breasts.

    Allergic Reaction

    • Severe allergic reactions are possible including rash, hives, chest pain and chest tightness, difficulty breathing, swelling of the mouth, face, lips or tongue, brown urine and flu-like symptoms. Other symptoms may be impotence, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, muscle aches and pains, vomiting, weakness, feeling tired and jaundice.

    Further Side Effects

    • Additional side effects experienced by persons using Flutamide include chest pain, blood clots, high blood pressure and edema, states drugs.com. Diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, weight loss, anorexia and abdominal pain are common gastrointestinal side effects. If they persist, then you may be experiencing an allergic reaction. Depression, muscle cramps throughout the body, anxiety, nervousness, loss of libido and withdrawal syndrome have also been reported, explains drugs.com

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