Leuprorelin for prostate cancer

What is leuprorelin?

Leuprorelin is a type of hormone therapy. You pronounce leuprorelin as loo-pro-rehl-lin. It is also known as Prostap or Staladex.

It is a treatment for prostate cancer.

Some men with breast cancer have treatment for leuprorelin. The side effects information on this page is also relevant to men with breast cancer.

Leuprorelin for women

Leuprorelin is also a treatment for breast cancer in women. To get information on the possible side effects for women, go to the leuprorelin for breast cancer page.

Go to our information about leuprorelin for breast cancer

How does leuprorelin work?

Leuprorelin is known as a GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone) agonist. It lowers the level of testosterone made by the testicles. Prostate cancer depends on testosterone to grow. So leuprorelin can shrink cancer or slow its growth.

How do you have leuprorelin?

You have leuprorelin as an injection under the skin (subcutaneously). This injection usually goes into the stomach, thigh or top of your arm.

The injection is called a depot injection. It means that you slowly absorb the drug into your body over a period of time.

You might have stinging or a dull ache for a short time after this type of injection but they don't usually hurt much. The skin in the area may go red and itchy for a while.

How often do you have leuprorelin?

You can have leuprorelin either:

• once a month

• every 3 months

You may have this injection at your GP surgery or at the hospital.

What are the side effects of leuprorelin?

What are the temporary side effects of leuprorelin?

If you are having leuprorelin to treat prostate cancer, you might have an increase in symptoms after your first dose of this drug. This may carry on for a few weeks. This is called tumour flare. Your doctor might give you another type of hormone drug to prevent the symptoms of tumour flare.

Symptoms of tumour flare include:

• increased pain or difficulty passing urine

• bone pain

• back pain

• blood in your urine

• a feeling of pins and needles in your legs

Tell your doctor or nurse straight away if you have any of these side effects.

Weight changes

Your weight may go up or down while having this treatment. Tell your healthcare team if you are finding it difficult to control your weight.

Muscle weakness and bone pain

You might feel pain in your bones and loss of strength in your muscles. Speak to your doctor or nurse for help with this.

Smaller testicles

Your testicles might get smaller in size. Talk to your doctor or nurse if this happens and it concerns you.

Skin reaction around the injection site

Reactions include skin colour changes such as darkness or redness, irritation, hardening or ulcers appearing around the injection site. Tell your nurse or contact your advice line if you notice any of these.

• loss of appetite

• difficulty sleeping (insomnia)

• depression

• mood changes - the longer you have leuprorelin the more common these mood changes become

• headaches which might be severe

• feeling sick

• joint pain

• breast swelling

• swollen hands and feet

• liver changes that are usually temporary

• dizziness

• diarrhoea

• tingling of the skin (paraesthesia)

• being sick

• muscle pain

• feeling weakness in your legs

• blood clots in the lungs causing breathlessness and pain in the chest or upper back. Call 999 or go to accident and emergency (A&E) immediately if you have any of these symptoms as this can be life threatening

• 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, alert your nurse or doctor if notice any of these symptoms

• a severe skin reaction caused by conditions such as toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) or Stevens Johnson syndrome (SJS) – symptoms include tender red patches on the skin, peeling or blistering of the skin, feeling feverish and eyes becoming more sensitive to light. Other skin reactions include having red spots or patches on the skin that have a dark red centre and paler red rings around them

• a drop in red blood cells is called anaemia and may cause you to be breathless and look pale

• a drop in blood cells causing bruising, bleeding gums, nosebleeds or an increased risk of infection

• metabolic syndrome –symptoms include high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar levels which can increase the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes

• seizures (fits)

• increased pressure around the brain - symptoms include headache, double vision or other visual symptoms and ringing or buzzing in one or both ears

• muscles not working (paralysis)

• vision changes

• a fast heartbeat (palpitations)

• changes to your heartbeat

• high or low blood pressure

• yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice) caused by the liver not working well

• bone thinning (osteoporosis) which may cause fractures in the spine

• inflammation and scarring of the lungs

• increased pain or difficulty passing urine

• high temperature (fever)

What else do you need to know?

Contraception

It is unknown whether this treatment may or may not harm a baby developing in the womb. It is important not to get someone pregnant while you are having treatment. Let your team know straight away if your partner becomes pregnant while having treatment.

Talk to your doctor or nurse about effective contraception you can use during treatment. Ask how long you should use it before starting treatment and after treatment has finished.