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Bicalutamide Advice Please

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Posted 4/20/2016 2:52 AM (GMT 0)
I'm currently 27/38 radiation treatments in. Oncologist also has me on 150mg of bicalutamide daily. Prior to starting bicalutamide, received radiation to chest to reduce chances of developing breasts. 2 months in and guess what? Yup, starting to get breasts! I'm sure there are others of you that have experienced the same thing.

Question - any ideas on keeping from getting worse? Will this be irreversible?
Posted 4/20/2016 12:30 PM (GMT 0)
I guess he should start hormone therapy like lupronor zolodox along with chemo (docetaxol) as ur treatment after you finish your radiations.this may probably give better results. Well here are mich experience person who can give you mich better knowledge
Posted 4/20/2016 2:06 PM (GMT 0)
Dr. Myers has me taking Cabergoline 3 times a week for gynomastia, I also do a lot of exercises for my pectoral muscles (flys, bench press, etc.) keeping your weight down and staying in shape also helps. I think some of us are overly sensitive about this, when I go to the beach and look at some of the other guys my age walking around I'm not so bad after all.

Ed
Posted 4/20/2016 2:42 PM (GMT 0)
I took Femera and never got breast enlargement.
Posted 4/20/2016 3:37 PM (GMT 0)
Casodex ADT mono-therapy is rather unusual as an adjunct for radiation treatment...But when you are involved with "hormone therapy" breast enlargement is just part of the package... Are you resisting the dreaded Lupron shot??
Posted 4/20/2016 4:10 PM (GMT 0)
I also received radiation to the chest to avoid getting an A-cup. Any breast swelling I had was minor and temporary while on Casodex
Posted 4/20/2016 7:41 PM (GMT 0)
Tamoxifen is the best thing for that - more effective than chest radiation, and very low on side effects. They use 20 mg to get rid of the breast tissue and 10 mg daily dose to keep it away.

It will be irreversible (except with cortisone shots or surgery) if you wait too long to treat.

- Allen
Posted 4/20/2016 10:08 PM (GMT 0)
I wish I had known about that 10 years ago. Can he take it even though he already received radiation to the chest to avoid growing breasts?
Posted 4/20/2016 11:14 PM (GMT 0)
Sure he can. Tamoxifen is chemically similar to estrogen, and at least in breast tissue, blocks the estrogen receptor. Breast tissue requires estrogen receptor activation in order to grow. (This is all very similar to the way Casodex blocks the androgen receptor, supplanting testosterone.) However, unlike aromatase inhibitors (e.g., Femara, Aromasin, Arimidex), it doesn't completely eliminate estrogen, and it doesn't block estrogen receptors everywhere else, which would cause some unpleasant side effects.

- Allen
Posted 4/20/2016 11:52 PM (GMT 0)
I waited a couple weeks too long to get radiation so I do have some slight bumps but not so bad that I won't take off my shirt at the beach. I really can't complain much though. Life is pretty darn good. June 6th of 2016 will be my 10 year anniversary since being diagnosed @ stage 4. No regrets
Posted 4/21/2016 5:40 AM (GMT 0)
150 mg of bicalutimide seems like a lot. I started on 100 mg then moved back to 50 mg while also getting either Firmagon or
I think 50 mg is the usual recommended dose. You might want to check with oncologist for dosing?
Posted 4/21/2016 9:06 PM (GMT 0)

Gunner34 said...
150 mg of bicalutimide seems like a lot. I started on 100 mg then moved back to 50 mg while also getting either Firmagon or
I think 50 mg is the usual recommended dose. You might want to check with oncologist for dosing?

As monotherapy I've seen 150mg as a normal dose. When given along with Lupron or similar, it's less, 50mg. In the US bicalutamide isn't usually given as a monotherapy.

Regarding breast growth, the problems I have are just from the way my body has always stored fat, and I have more of that than I'd like.

My MO and my RO at Vanderbilt both didn't like the anti-breast growth methodologies. Not sure why, but they really counseled against any of them. My RO said, in the rare event that actually happens, he recommended subsequent surgery to correct it! I don't know about that, but of course all drugs and treatments have their side effects.
Posted 4/23/2016 1:29 PM (GMT 0)
Getting 50mg casodex along with Lupron. 4 Month Lupron shot, with first 30 days 50mg casodex chaser. I have no idea if the doc will follow up the casodex with another month of casodex. My understanding was he gave it to me to prevent the T flare.
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