Anaemia in men receiving combined finasteride and flutamide therapy for advanced prostate cancer

Objective. To determine the effect of combined finasteride and flutamide therapy on haemoglobin and haematocrit values in men with advanced prostate cancer. Patients and methods. Nineteen men, previously untreated by hormone therapy, with histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate and clinical evidence of advanced disease, were treated with combined finasteride (5 mg/day) and flutamide (750 mg/day) for at least 6 months. Complete blood counts were performed before initiation and after 6 months of therapy. Results. After 6 months of finasteride and flutamide therapy both haemoglobin levels and haematocrit decreased in all men, with a mean (so, range) decrease of 16 (10, 3-42) g/L and 4.6 (2.7, 0.8-9.9)%, respectively. Conclusion. Combined finasteride and flutamide therapy significantly lowers haemoglobin and haematocrit levels in men with advanced prostate cancer, and further study of this effect is warranted.