ZOLADEX® 10.8mg implant (Goserelin acetate)
Information in this fact sheet is meant to assist you in making decisions about your treatment. Always make medication decisions in consultation with your healthcare team.
What is Zoladex® 10.8mg used for?
Zoladex®10.8mg is used for locally advanced or metastatic carcinoma of the prostate.
Zoladex® 10.8mg can treat prostate cancer in some men. It is not a cure for prostate cancer.
Zoladex® 10.8mg lowers the amount of sex hormones in the body. In men it reduces the level of testosterone.
Your doctor will have explained why you are being treated with Zoladex® 10.8mg and told you what dose you will be given.
Carefully follow all directions given to you by your doctor. These instructions may differ from the information contained here. Your doctor may prescribe this medicine for another use. Zoladex® 10.8mg is only available with a doctor’s prescription. Ask your doctor if you want more information.
Zoladex® 10.8mg is not addictive.
What does Zoladex® 10.8mg look like?
Zoladex® 10.8mg comes in a special syringe, called the SafeSystem™ and a siliconised needle.
The small pellet containing Zoladex® 10.8mg is about the size of a grain of rice. It can be seen in the ‘window’ half way up the syringe and is white or cream coloured.
How is Zoladex® 10.8mg given?
A Zoladex® 10.8mg implant will be injected under the skin (subcutaneous) of your stomach every three months.
Zoladex® 10.8mg can only be administered by a doctor or nurse.
The implant is a very small pellet that is given by a special needle and syringe known as SafeSystemTM. The injection will not hurt very much. The pellet is designed to slowly release the medicine into your body over three months.
What are the common side effects?
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking Zoladex® 10.8mg.
Zoladex® 10.8mg helps most people with prostate cancer but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people.
It can be hard to work out whether side effects are caused by Zoladex® 10.8mg or the disease that is being treated.
All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious but most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.
Ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have. Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
- skin rashes
- painful joints
- changes in blood pressure
- hot flushes or sweating
- chills
- tingling in fingers or toes
- swelling, soreness or itchiness of the breasts
- trouble passing urine or experience lower back pain
- your testicles getting smaller.
These are all mild side effects of Zoladex® 10.8mg.
Because Zoladex® 10.8mg lowers the amount of sex hormones in your body, your sex drive will probably be reduced.
What are the less common side effects?
If you have a tumour in your pituitary gland, Zoladex® 10.8mg may make the tumour bleed or collapse.
This is very rare but it causes severe headaches, sickness, loss of eyesight and unconsciousness.
It is also unlikely that you can father a child while using Zoladex® 10.8mg but you must use your normal contraceptive method to make sure.
Your doctor will be happy to discuss these things with you if you want more information.
Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell. Some people may get other side effects while taking Zoladex® 10.8mg.
References
Disclaimer
Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia develops materials based on best available evidence and takes advice from recognised experts in the field in developing such resource; however it cannot guarantee and assumes no legal responsibility for the currency or completeness of the information.
