Zytiga

Zytiga is a prescription medication used to treat prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. Zytiga belongs to a group of drugs called CYP17 inhibitors, which work by decreasing the amount of testosterone in the body. Testosterone stimulates prostate cancer cells to grow.

This medication comes in tablet form and is taken once a day, on an empty stomach. Do not take Zytiga with food as food may cause more of the medicine to be absorbed by the body than is needed. Do not eat 2 hours before taking Zytiga and do not eat for 1 hour after taking Zytiga.

Take Zytiga with water. Swallow Zytiga tablets whole. Do not crush or chew Zytiga tablets.

Common side effects of Zytiga include joint swelling or pain, muscle aches, hot flushes, and diarrhea.

Zytiga is a prescription medication approved to treat men with advanced prostate cancer that has spread to other areas of the body. Zytiga is used in combination with prednisone.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

• Janssen Biotech, Inc.

Serious side effects have been reported with Zytiga. See "Precautions”.

Common side effects of Zytiga include the following:

• joint swelling or pain
• muscle aches
• hot flushes
• diarrhea
• urinary tract infection
• cough
• irregular heartbeats
• urinate more often than normal
• need to get up at night to urinate
• heartburn
• cold like symptoms
• bone fractures

This is not a complete list of Zytiga side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• antifungal medicines such as itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), and voriconazole (Vfend)
• clarithromycin (Biaxin, in Prevpac)
• HIV protease inhibitors including atazanavir (Reyataz), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), ritonavir (Norvir, in Kaletra), and saquinavir (Fortovase, Invirase)
• carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Tegretol)
• phenobarbital (Luminal)
• phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek)
• nefazodone (Serzone)
• rifabutin (Mycobutin)
• rifampin (Rifadin, in Rifamate, in Rifater, Rimactane)
• rifapentine (Priftin)
• telithromycin (Ketek)
• thioridazine (Mellaril)
• nimodipine (Nimotop)
• St. John's wort

This is not a complete list of Zytiga drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Zytiga may cause serious side effects including:

• high blood pressure, low blood potassium levels, and fluid retention. Tell your healthcare provider if you get any of the following symptoms:
  • dizziness
  • fast heartbeats
  • feel faint or lightheaded
  • headache
  • confusion
  • muscle weakness
  • pain in your legs
  • swelling in your legs or feet
• adrenal problems. This may occur if you stop taking prednisone, get an infection, or are under stress.
• liver problems or toxicity. Your healthcare provider will do blood tests to check your liver before treatment with Zytiga and during treatment with Zytiga.

Do not take Zytiga if you:

• are allergic to Zytiga or to any of its ingredients
• are pregnant or may become pregnant. Zytiga may harm your unborn baby.

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Zytiga there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving Zytiga.

Before taking Zytiga, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to Zytiga or to any of its ingredients
• have heart problems
• have liver problems
• have a history of adrenal and/or pituitary problems
• have any other medical conditions
• plan to become pregnant
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Zytiga can interact with many other medicines.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Zytiga falls into category X. Do not take Zytiga if you are pregnant or may become pregnant. Zytiga may harm your unborn baby. Women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant should not touch Zytiga without protection, such as gloves.

Tell your healthcare provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Zytiga passes into your breast milk. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will take Zytiga or breastfeed. You should not do both. 

Take Zytiga and prednisone exactly as your healthcare provider tells you.

• Your healthcare provider may change your dose if needed.
• Do not stop taking your prescribed dose of Zytiga or prednisone without talking with your healthcare provider first.
• Take Zytiga on an empty stomach. Do not take Zytiga with food. Taking Zytiga with food may cause more of the medicine to be absorbed by the body than is needed and this may cause side effects.
• No food should be eaten 2 hours before and for 1 hour after taking Zytiga.
• Swallow Zytiga tablets whole.
• Take Zytiga tablets with water.
• Men who are sexually active with a pregnant woman must use a condom during and for one week after treatment with Zytiga. If their sexual partner may become pregnant, a condom and another form of birth control must be used during and for one week after treatment with Zytiga. Talk with your healthcare provider if you have questions about birth control.
• If you miss a dose of Zytiga or prednisone, take your prescribed dose the following day. If you miss more than 1 dose, tell your healthcare provider right away.
• Your healthcare provider will do blood tests to check for side effects.

Take Zytiga exactly as prescribed. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

If you take too much Zytiga, call your local Poison Control Center or seek emergency medical attention right away.

If Zytiga is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

• Store Zytiga at 59°F to 86°F (15°C to 30°C).
• Keep Zytiga and all medicines out of the reach of children.