Bicalutamide

Bicalutamide, sold under the brand name Casodex among others, is an antiandrogen medication that is primarily used to treat

prostate cancer Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that sur ...

. It is typically used together with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogue or surgical removal of the testicles to treat advanced prostate cancer. To a lesser extent, it is used for early prostate cancer at a higher dosage as a monotherapy without

castration Castration is any action, surgical, chemical, or otherwise, by which an individual loses use of the testicles: the male gonad. Surgical castration is bilateral orchiectomy (excision of both testicles), while chemical castration uses pharmaceut ...

. Bicalutamide is also used to treat excessive hair growth and

scalp hair loss Pattern hair loss (also known as androgenetic alopecia (AGA)) is a hair loss condition that primarily affects the top and front of the scalp. In male-pattern hair loss (MPHL), the hair loss typically presents itself as either a receding front ha ...

in women, as a component of feminizing hormone therapy for transgender women, to treat early puberty in boys, and to prevent overly long-lasting erections in men. It is taken by mouth. Common side effects in men include breast enlargement, breast tenderness, and hot flashes. Other side effects in men include feminization<