Flutamide-induced acute hepatitis in advanced prostate cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the characteristics of 3 patients hospitalized in the Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Center, Rijeka, as the result of acute hepatitis, a rare adverse drug reaction to flutamide.


RESULTS
All 3 patients with advanced prostate carcinoma were treated with oral flutamide at a dose rate of 250 mg 3 times daily. The patients developed clinical signs (jaundice, anorexia, nausea, dark urine etc.) and laboratory liver function test changes (high aminotransferase and bilirubin level), indicative of acute hepatitis, 20-22 weeks after commencing flutamide treatment. The flutamide therapy was immediately discontinued and this resulted in spontaneous remission (clinical and liver function test results returned to normal) during the next 8 weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data clearly suggest that flutamide causes acute hepatitis and that the monitoring of the patients' liver function tests in order to detect these changes as early as possible, is important.
Kraus
I
I
Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Center Rijeka, Croatia.
Vitezic
D
D
Oguic
R
R
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology*; D005485:Flutamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D005485:Flutamide