US Brand Name(s)
Yonsa
Zytiga
FDA Approved
Yes
Use in Cancer
Abiraterone acetate (Abiraterone A) is approved to be used with prednisone to treat:
Prostate cancer that has metastasized (spread to other parts of the body). It is used:
In patients whose disease is castration-resistant (has not responded to treatments that lower testosterone levels). This use is approved for the Zytiga brand name of abiraterone acetate.
With methylprednisolone in patients whose disease is castration-resistant. This use is approved for the Yonsa brand name of abiraterone acetate.
In patients whose disease is high-risk and castration sensitive (has responded to treatments that lower testosterone levels). This use is approved for the Zytiga brand name of abiraterone acetate.
Abiraterone is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer.
How Abiraterone Acetate is Given:
- Abiraterone acetate is a pill, taken by mouth. It is taken once a day.
- It must be taken on an empty stomach [2 hours after a meal, or one hour before]
- It should be taken at approximately the same time each day.
- Prednisone [10mg daily] should be taken along with abiraterone acetate.
- The amount of abiraterone acetate you receive depends on many factors. Your doctor will determine your dose and schedule
Side Effects:
Important things to remember about the side effects of abiraterone acetate:
- Most people will not experience all of the abiraterone acetate side effects listed.
- Abiraterone A side effects are often predictable in terms of their onset, duration, and severity.
- Abiraterone A side effects are almost always reversible and will go away after therapy is complete.
- Abiraterone A side effects may be quite manageable. There are many options to minimize or prevent the side effects of abiraterone acetate.
The following side effects are common (occurring in greater than 30%) for patients taking abiraterone acetate:
- Fluid retention
- Increased triglycerides
- Increased liver enzymes (AST)
These side effects are less common (occurring in 10-29%) side effects for patients receiving abiraterone acetate:
- Joint swelling/discomfort
- Decreased levels of potassium in the blood (hypokalemia)
- Peripheral edema
- Muscle aches/discomfort
- Decreased levels of phosphorous in the blood (hypophosphatemia)
- Hot flashes
- Diarrhea
- UTI
- Cough
- Increased ALT (liver enzyme)
Abiraterone acetate works by inhibiting specific “enzymes” in your adrenal glands that are responsible for making androgens. For this reason, there is an increased risk of overproduction of mineral corticosteroids in your body while on abiraterone A. As a result, abiraterone acetate may cause hypertension [high blood pressure], hypokalemia [low levels of potassium in the blood], and fluid retention. Because of this risk, abiraterone A should be used cautiously in patients with a strong cardiovascular history, and patients should be monitored closely for these symptoms. Dosing along with prednisone will decrease the risk of mineralocorticoid excess.
Not all side effects are listed above. Side effects that are very rare — occurring in less than about 10 percent of patients — are not listed here. But you should always inform your health care provider if you experience any unusual symptoms.
When to contact your physician or health care provider:
Contact your health care provider immediately, day or night, if you should experience any of the following symptoms:
- Fever of 100.4° F (38° C or higher, chills)
- Chest Pain or Irregular heartbeats
- Difficulty breathing
- Inability to urinate for 8 or more hours
Always inform your health care provider if you experience any unusual symptoms.
The following symptoms require medical attention but are not an emergency. Contact your health care provider within 24 hours of noticing any of the following:
- Dizziness / Lightheadedness
- Significant headache
- Diarrhea (4-6 episodes in a 24-hour period)
- Unusual bleeding or bruising
- Black or tarry stools, or blood in your stools
- Extreme fatigue (unable to carry on self-care activities)
- Yellow coloring of your skin or eyes
- Unusual elevation in blood pressure
Always inform your health care provider if you experience any unusual symptoms.
Precautions:
- Before starting abiraterone acetate treatment, make sure you tell your doctor about any other medications you are taking (including prescription, over-the-counter, vitamins, herbal remedies, etc.). Do not take aspirin, products containing aspirin unless your doctor specifically permits this.
- Abiraterone A is currently not indicated for use in women. However, if abiraterone acetate is given to a woman, getting pregnant should be avoided and the woman should not breastfeed.
- Abiraterone acetate is currently not indicated for use in women. This should not be given to women who are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. Pregnancy category X (abiraterone acetate may cause fetal harm when given to a pregnant woman. If a woman becomes pregnant while taking abiraterone acetate, the medication must be stopped immediately and the woman given appropriate counselling).
- It is not known if abiraterone acetate is excreted in semen, therefore, men should use a condom and another method of birth control during treatment and for 1 week following the last dose of abiraterone acetate.
Self-Care Tips:
- Abiraterone acetate and prednisone are to be used together and neither medication should be interrupted or stopped unless your healthcare provider tells you to. Take the medication exactly as directed.
- Take at the same time each day
- Take on an empty stomach
- You will need to continue receiving your LHRH/GnRH agonists injections (ie Zoladex®, Lupron®, Trelstar®, etc) throughout treatment with abiraterone A.
- If you are experiencing hot flashes, wear light clothing, stay in a cool environment to try and reduce symptoms. Consult your healthcare provider if these worsen or become intolerable.
- In general, drinking alcoholic beverages should be kept to a minimum or avoided completely. You should discuss this with your doctor.
- Get plenty of rest.
- Maintain good nutrition.
- If you experience symptoms or side effects, be sure to discuss them with your health care team. They can prescribe medications and/or offer other suggestions that are effective in managing such problems.
Monitoring and testing while taking abiraterone acetate:
You will be checked regularly by your doctor while you are taking abiraterone A, to monitor side effects and check your response to therapy. Periodic blood work will be obtained to monitor your complete blood count (CBC) as well as the function of other organs (such as your kidneys and liver), as deemed necessary by your doctor.
How Works:
Hormones are chemical substances that are produced by glands in the body, which enter the bloodstream and cause effects in other tissues. The use of hormone therapy to treat cancer is based on the observation that receptors for specific hormones that are needed for cell growth are on the surface of some tumor cells. Hormone therapy can work by stopping the production of a certain hormone, blocking hormone receptors, or substituting chemically similar agents for the active hormone, which cannot be used by the tumor cell. Different types of hormone therapies are categorized by their function and/or the type of hormone that is affected.
The growth of prostate cancer is stimulated by male hormones (androgens/testosterone). Decreasing the production of these hormones is critical in helping men fight prostate cancer. Androgens are primarily made by the testicles and adrenal glands. However, in men with advanced prostate cancer, the metastatic tumors themselves have the capability to produce testosterone. Generally, prostate cancer responds to treatment that decreases androgen levels. Many androgen deprivation therapies, decrease androgen production by the testicles but do not affect androgen production elsewhere in the body, such as the adrenal glands or in the tumor.
Abiraterone acetate works in a different manner than other androgen deprivation therapies. Abiraterone acetate interferes with an enzyme that is expressed in testicular, adrenal, and prostatic tumor tissues and is required as part of the body’s androgen-producing process. Because of this interference, the number of androgens produced is decreased. Abiraterone acetate blocks androgen production at three sources; the testes, the adrenal glands, as well as from the tumor itself.
Note: We strongly encourage you to talk with your health care professional about your specific medical condition and treatments. The information contained in this website is meant to be helpful and educational but is not a substitute for medical advice.
More About Abiraterone Acetate
Definition from the NCI Drug Dictionary– Detailed scientific definition and other names for this drug.
MedlinePlus Information on Abiraterone Acetate- A lay language summary of important information about this drug that may include the following:
- warnings about this drug,
- what this drug is used for and how it is used,
- what you should tell your doctor before using this drug,
- what you should know about this drug before using it,
- other drugs that may interact with this drug, and
- possible side effects.
Drugs are often studied to find out if they can help treat or prevent conditions other than the ones they are approved for. This patient information sheet applies only to approved uses of the drug. However, much of the information may also apply to unapproved uses that are being studied.
