Skip to main content
Log in

Cholestatic hepatitis following flutamide

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Digestive Diseases and Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Previous reports have indicated that administration of flutamide—a nonsteroidal antiandrogen drug—may induce hepatic toxicity. However, cholestatic hepatitis following flutamide is a rare event. This case report describes a 72-year-old male with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate who underwent bilateral orchiectomy and treatment with flutamide. After seven weeks he developed jaundice and elevated AST and ALT levels. A liver biopsy showed cholestatic hepatitis without signs of biliary obstruction. The patient's clinical symptoms and elevated bilirubin resolved after the flutamide was discontinued. Monitoring of serum liver enzyme tests is advocated during flutamide administration to identify drug-induced liver injury.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Crawford ED, Eisenberger MA, McLeod DG, Spaulding JT, Benson R, Dorr FA, Blumenstein BA, Davis MA, Goodman PJ: A controlled trial of leuprolide with and without flutamide in prostatic carcinoma. N Engl J Med 321:419–424, 1989

    Google Scholar 

  2. Mendoza-Valdes A, Ocampo-del-Carpio O, De-la-Garza J: The treatment of advanced prostatic carcinoma with total androgenic blockade using bilateral orchidectomy and flutamide: Experience at the National Cancer Institute in Mexico. Semin Oncol 18:19–20, 1991

    Google Scholar 

  3. Møller S, Iversen P, Franzmann MB: Flutamide-induced liver failure. J Hepatol 10:346–349, 1990

    Google Scholar 

  4. Corkery JC, Bihrle W, McCaffrey JA, Whitcomb FF, Levy C, Ellis R: Flutamide-related fulminant hepatic failure. J Clin Gastroenterol 13:364–365, 1991

    Google Scholar 

  5. Gomez JL, Dupont A, Cusan L, Tremblay M, Suburu R, Lemay M, Labrie F: Incidence of liver toxicity associated with the use of flutamide in prostate cancer patients. Am J Med 92:465–470, 1992

    Google Scholar 

  6. Scheuer PJ: Liver Biopsy Interpretation, 4th ed. Philadelphia, Bailliere Tindall, 1988, pp 99–112

    Google Scholar 

  7. Schulz M, Schmoldt A, Donn F, Becker H: The pharmacokinetics of flutamide and its major metabolites after a single oral dose and during chronic treatment. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 34:633–636, 1988

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rosman, A.S., Frissora-Rodeo, C., Marshall, A.T. et al. Cholestatic hepatitis following flutamide. Digest Dis Sci 38, 1756–1759 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01303188

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01303188

Key Words

Navigation