Abiraterone
Abiraterone 250mg tablets are a hormone treatment for prostate cancer: they lower the androgens the cancer grows on, and come in packs of 120 or 240.
All strengths and pack prices
| Strength | Pack | Price | Per tablet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250mg | 120 tablets | $390.00 | $3.25 |
| 250mg | 240 tablets | $756.00 | $3.15 |
- Category
- Oncology Support
- Active ingredient
- Abiraterone acetate
- Route
- Oral
- Form
- Tablet
- Strengths
- 250mg
You will receive a quality generic, depending on stock.
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Conditions
- Prostate cancer
- Therapeutic Class
- Anti-androgen
- Pharmacological Class
- CYP17 inhibitor
- Minor Side Effects
- Joint swelling, Hot flashes, Diarrhoea
- Moderate Side Effects
- High blood pressure, Fluid retention, Low potassium levels
- Dosage Forms
- Tablet
- Administration Route
- Oral
- Originator
- Janssen-Cilag
- Duration
- 24 hours
- Storage Instructions
- Store at room temperature away from moisture.
- Drug Interactions
- CYP3A4 inducers, CYP2D6 substrates
- Age Restrictions
- Adults only
What you will receive
Abiraterone is a generic medicine sold under the name of its active ingredient, Abiraterone acetate.
- The manufacturer depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
- It contains the same active ingredient, at the same strength, as the brand-name versions.
FAQ
Which Abiraterone strengths and pack sizes can I order?
Abiraterone tablets come in 250mg, in packs of 120 or 240. Larger packs cost less per tablet.
How is Abiraterone delivered to Hong Kong?
Abiraterone orders to Hong Kong can go by tracked courier in 5 to 9 business days with online tracking, or by standard airmail in 14 to 21 business days, untracked. Very large orders may be split into several parcels. Every order ships in plain, unbranded packaging.
Which brand names does abiraterone acetate have?
Brand names for abiraterone acetate include Zytiga and Abirapro. Abiraterone tablets are a pure generic abiraterone acetate product and are not any of those brands.
How many abiraterone tablets do I take a day?
Four 250mg tablets, taken together in one go, once a day. Swallow them whole with water. The four are not spread through the day, so it pays to pick a time you can keep to.
Why is abiraterone taken with prednisone?
Androgen production and the body's steroid balance are linked. Blocking the pathway makes the kidneys hold on to sodium and lose potassium, which pushes blood pressure up and causes ankles and feet to swell. A low-dose steroid such as prednisone or prednisolone corrects that, and it is not stopped suddenly.
Why does abiraterone have to be taken on an empty stomach?
Food, fat in particular, increases how much abiraterone the body absorbs, and higher levels bring more blood pressure rises, fluid retention and liver changes. Leaving an hour between the tablets and eating, or two hours after a meal before the next dose, keeps absorption steady.
Is abiraterone the same as chemotherapy?
No. Chemotherapy attacks cells as they divide. Abiraterone works differently, blocking CYP17A1 so the body cannot turn cholesterol into testosterone and other androgens, which leaves the cancer without a hormone signal it depends on. It is given at a different point from chemotherapy, sometimes before and sometimes after.
What does castration-resistant prostate cancer mean?
It describes prostate cancer that carries on growing even when testosterone has been driven down to very low levels by injections, implants or surgery. Abiraterone works at that stage too, because it also blocks androgen production in the adrenal glands and inside the cancer cells themselves.
About Abiraterone
What abiraterone does in prostate cancer
Think of the cancer as relying on a supply line of androgens, the male hormones. Three places feed it: the testicles, the adrenal glands and the tumour cells. Abiraterone acetate disables CYP17A1, the enzyme that converts cholesterol into androgens in all three. The hormone level falls, and the tumour loses something it needs to grow.
This is hormone treatment rather than chemotherapy. It is used once other hormone treatment has stopped holding the cancer back, before or after chemotherapy, and the tablets are taken every day as a long-term treatment.
How the tablets are taken
Four 250mg tablets once a day, swallowed whole with water. An empty stomach gives the most predictable absorption, so leave an hour after the dose before eating, or wait two hours after a meal before taking it. Too much fat at the same time raises the amount absorbed, and with it the risk of high blood pressure, fluid retention and liver changes.
A low-dose steroid — prednisone or prednisolone — is taken with abiraterone to offset the salt, water and potassium shifts that blocking androgen production causes.
Side effects to expect
Tiredness, aching joints and muscles, hot flushes and swollen ankles are the usual complaints. Blood pressure often rises, diarrhoea happens, and urine infections are more frequent. Blood tests can show raised liver enzymes and low potassium.
The serious risks centre on the liver, which can be injured, so liver blood tests are repeated through treatment. The heart can be affected too. Stopping the steroid suddenly may leave the body short of adrenal hormones, causing weakness, sickness and low blood pressure.
What not to take with it
St John's wort, rifampicin, phenytoin and carbamazepine all make abiraterone break down faster, so less of it stays in the blood. Abiraterone also blocks CYP2D6, an enzyme that clears various other drugs, so their levels can climb. Herbal remedies bought over the counter can have the same effect.
Storing the tablets
Store them below 30°C in the pack they came in, away from damp and direct sunlight. Pregnant women should avoid handling the tablets.
Sources
- Prostate Cancer Information and Overview | American Cancer Society — American Cancer Society
- About prostate cancer | Prostate Cancer UK — Prostate Cancer UK