Cyproterone

Uses for cyproterone

Cyproterone is used to treat cancer of the prostate gland. The prostate gland is present only in males; therefore, females do not get prostate cancer.

Cyproterone blocks the effect of the male hormone testosterone in the body. This decreases the amount of testosterone produced in the body and is one way of treating this type of cancer.

Cyproterone is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Before using cyproterone

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For cyproterone, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to cyproterone or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Studies on cyproterone have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of cyproterone in children with use in other age groups.

Geriatric

Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of cyproterone in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Breastfeeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Interactions with food/tobacco/alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other medical problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of cyproterone. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Blood clots (or history of) or
• Circulation disease (or history of) or
• Stroke (or history of)—If these conditions already are already present, cyproterone may have a greater chance of causing blood clotting problems.

• Cardiac disease—May make the condition worse.

• Depressive tendencies—May cause depression to occur.

• Type 2 diabetes mellitus—May cause a loss of control of diabetes by increasing blood and urine sugar.

• Liver disease—Effects of cyproterone may be increased because of its slower removal from the body.

Proper use of cyproterone

At first, cyproterone often causes loss of strength and e...