Starting hormonal treatment for prostate cancer

Your doctor has advised you to have some treatment for prostate cancer using hormonal treatment. Please follow the guidelines below.

• You will either collect your bicalutamide (Casodex) tablets from the hospital Outpatients Pharmacy or they will be posted to you. You will be given enough to last for four weeks (28 tablets).

Make an appointment at your GP surgery to have a hormone injection that lasts 12 weeks – this may be goserelin 10.8mg (Zoladex) or triptorelin (Decapeptyl) 11.25mg depending on your GP surgery.

• The hospital doctor will also write to your GP to ask them to start hormone injections but you will need to make the appointment yourself.
• Once you have the appointment date for your injections start the tablets two weeks before that appointment.
• Have the first injection about two weeks after you have started taking the bicalutamide (Casodex), and then continue to take the bicalutamide (Casodex) until you have used the four week supply.
• Take the bicalutamide (Casodex) tablets every day without a break, including the day you have the first injection.
• When you have finished these tablets you do not need a repeat prescription, but can stop taking the bicalutamide (Casodex).
• Continue the injections at your GP surgery every twelve weeks unless the staff at the hospital tell you the injections are no longer necessary. This will depend on your individual treatment plan. For some patients, this will be lifelong even if other treatment for your cancer is added or changed.
• Some GP surgeries find it helpful if you take this information leaflet with you.
• Information booklets about the use of hormone treatment and side effects are available at the hospital, or you can search online via the Prostate Cancer UK (opens in a new tab) website.

Continue to take all other medication as usual unless the doctor asks you to make any changes.

If you are unsure about the tablets or the injections telephone the hospital on 01223 596330 (uro-oncology radiographer) or 01223 257049 (uro-oncology specialist nurses) for advice.

Privacy and dignity

Same sex bays and bathrooms are offered in all wards except critical care and theatre recovery areas where the use of high-tech equipment and/or specialist one-to-one care is required.