SIMILAR DRUGS
Why is this drug prescribed? Eligard is a drug used to treat advanced prostate cancer. In most instances, it is used to treat patients whose disease has already spread beyond the prostate to other organs or tissues. In some cases it is used to shrink extensive prostate cancers to make them treatable with surgery or radiation therapy.Testosterone is a male hormone produced in the testicles. Prostate cancers require the presence of testosterone to grow. The absence of testosterone will destroy prostate cancer cells resulting in the shrinkage of the prostate cancer. Eligard has no direct effect on prostate cancer. It works by acting on hormones made in the pituitary gland which causes the testicles to manufacture testosterone. Eligard stops the pituitary gland from making this releasing factor. The effect of Eligard on the body is similar to surgical removal of the testicles. How should it be used?
The most common side effect is hot flashes. |