Cancer drugs A to Z list
Bicalutamide is a type of hormone therapy. You pronounce it as bye-ka-loo-ta-mide.
It is treatment for prostate cancer.
Find out more about having treatment for prostate cancer
Prostate cancer needs the male hormone to grow. Testosterone is also called an androgen.
Bicalutamide is known as an anti androgen. It stops testosterone from reaching the cancer cells. This can slow the growth of your cancer and may shrink it.
You take bicalutamide as tablets.
You should swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water.
You should take the right dose, not more or less.
Talk to your healthcare team before you stop taking a cancer drug, or if you miss a dose.
You take bicalutamide once a day. You usually take it for at least 2 years or until you need a different type of therapy to treat your cancer.
You might have bicalutamide:
on its own
after
after an operation to remove your prostate (prostatectomy)
before you have other hormone treatments such as goserelin, leuprorelin acetate and triptorelin
You need to take bicalutamide before you start some other types of hormone treatment because they take a few weeks to lower your testosterone. During this time they can make your symptoms worse. This is called tumour flare.
If you are having bicalutamide to stop tumour flare, you take it for a few days before starting the luteinising hormone blocker, and stay on it for about 4 weeks.
More about hormone therapy for prostate cancer
You have blood tests before and during your treatment. They check your levels of and other substances in the blood. They also check how well your liver and kidneys are working.
Side effects can vary from person to person. They also depend on what other treatment you are having.
Your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist will go through the possible side effects. They will monitor you closely during treatment and check how you are at your appointments. Contact your advice line as soon as possible if:
you have severe side effects
your side effects aren’t getting any better
your side effects are getting worse
We haven't listed all the side effects here. Talk to your healthcare team if you have any new symptoms that you think might be a side effect of your treatment.
Remember it is very unlikely that you will have all of these side effects, but you might have some of them at the same time.
These side effects happen in more than 10 in 100 people (more than 10%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
This treatment can cause swelling and tenderness in the breast tissue. Talk to the team looking after you about this.
You might feel weak or lack strength in your body while having this treatment.
Skin problems include a skin rash, dry skin and itching. This usually goes back to normal when your treatment finishes. Your healthcare team can tell you what products you can use on your skin to help.
You might be breathless and look pale due to a drop in . This is called anaemia.
This treatment might make you feel dizzy. Don’t drive or operate machinery if you have this.
You may have hot flushes and sweat a lot. We have some tips for coping with hot flushes in men. This information also includes some of the possible treatments. Talk to your doctor if your hot flushes are hard to cope with. They might be able to prescribe you some medicines.
Tell your doctor or nurse if you have this. They can check for the cause of the pain and give you medicine to help.
Feeling sick is usually well controlled with anti sickness medicines. Avoiding fatty or fried foods, eating small meals and snacks, drinking plenty of water, and relaxation techniques can all help.
It is important to take anti sickness medicines as directed by your doctor or pharmacist, even if you don’t feel sick. It is easier to prevent sickness rather than treating it once it has started.
is easier to sort out if you treat it early. Drink plenty and eat as much fresh fruit and vegetables as you can. Try to take gentle exercise, such as walking. Tell your healthcare team if you think you are constipated. They can give you a if needed.
You may have swelling of your hands and legs due to a build up of fluid (oedema).
Small amounts of blood may be found when your nurse tests your urine. You may need medication to help with this.
These side effects happen in between 1 and 10 out of every 100 people (between 1 and 10%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
lowered interest in sex
erection problems
feeling very sleepy
reduced appetite
indigestion
liver changes such as yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes (jaundice)
changes to body hair (hair loss on the head but increased hair growth on the body)
weight gain
depression
passing wind
chest pain - call 999 or go to accident and emergency (A&E) immediately if you have this
heart problems such as heart failure or a heart attack
These side effects happen in fewer than 1 in 100 people (less than 1%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
a severe allergic reaction that can cause a rash, shortness of breath, redness or swelling of the face and dizziness - some allergic reactions can be life-threatening. Tell your nurse or doctor if you notice any of these symptoms
breathlessness and cough caused by changes to the lung tissue making it less flexible
We have more information about side effects and tips on how to cope with them.
Cancer drugs can interact with medicines, herbal products, and some food and drinks. We are unable to list all the possible interactions that may happen. An example is grapefruit or grapefruit juice which can increase the side effects of certain drugs.
Tell your healthcare team about any medicines you are taking. This includes vitamins, herbal supplements and over the counter remedies. Also let them know about any other medical conditions or allergies you may have.
This treatment might harm a baby developing in the womb. It is important not to get someone pregnant while you are having treatment and for 130 days afterwards.
Talk to your doctor or nurse about effective contraception before starting treatment. Let them know straight away if your partner becomes pregnant while you're having treatment.
It is not known whether his treatment might affect your fertility. You may not be able to father a child after treatment with this drug. Talk to your doctor before starting treatment if you think you may want to have a baby in the future.
Some men might be able to store sperm before starting treatment.
If you are having tests or treatment for anything else, always mention your cancer treatment. For example, if you are visiting your dentist.
For further information about this treatment and possible side effects go to the electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) website. You can find the patient information leaflet on this website.
You can report any side effect you have to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) as part of their Yellow Card Scheme.
Last reviewed: 30 Oct 2025
Next review due: 30 Oct 2028
Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate gland. The prostate gland is part of the male reproductive system, and is at the base of the bladder.
Prostate cancer usually depends on testosterone to grow. Hormone therapy blocks or lowers the amount of testosterone in the body.
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