Description
Bicomine (Bicalutamide) 50 mg
Bicomine 50 mg is a tablet medicine containing bicalutamide, a non-steroidal anti-androgen used in prostate cancer treatment. The verified active ingredient is bicalutamide, and the medicine is intended for oral use.
Active Ingredient and Medicine Class
The active ingredient is bicalutamide. It belongs to the class of androgen receptor inhibitors, also described as non-steroidal anti-androgens. This class works by blocking the effect of male hormones, especially at the androgen receptor in prostate tissue.
Established Medical Uses
Bicalutamide 50 mg is an established prescription medicine used with a luteinising hormone-releasing hormone medicine as part of hormonal treatment for metastatic prostate cancer. Regulatory prescribing information supports its use in combination therapy rather than as a standalone treatment for this strength and formulation.
How It Works
Bicalutamide binds to androgen receptors and helps prevent testosterone and related hormones from stimulating prostate cancer cells. By reducing androgen signalling, it can slow tumour growth and contribute to the control of hormone-sensitive disease.
Important Safety Information
Bicalutamide should not be used in people with a known hypersensitivity to the medicine or its components. It is contraindicated in women and in pregnancy because of the risk of fetal harm. Important precautions include the possibility of serious liver injury, so liver function monitoring is part of standard prescribing information. Clinically significant interactions have been reported with coumarin anticoagulants, where the effect on clotting tests may increase and bleeding risk may rise. Caution is also warranted with medicines metabolised by CYP3A4. Use in patients with hepatic impairment requires particular care.
Possible Side Effects
Commonly reported adverse effects include hot flushes, breast tenderness or enlargement, and general weakness or fatigue. Other reactions that may occur include nausea, diarrhoea, rash, swelling, and sleepiness. More serious but less common reactions include hepatitis, liver failure, allergic reactions, and bleeding complications when used with coumarin anticoagulants. Photosensitivity has also been reported.
Scientific Evidence
Clinical studies and reviews support bicalutamide as a non-steroidal anti-androgen with established activity in prostate cancer. Published evidence shows that the drug blocks androgen receptor signalling and can lower prostate-specific antigen levels. Reviews of advanced prostate cancer trials have described bicalutamide 50 mg as a standard component of combined androgen blockade, while separate studies have evaluated higher-dose monotherapy in other settings. Overall, the evidence base supports its role in hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, with safety concerns centred on liver toxicity, endocrine effects, and drug interactions.
Medical Information Notice
This page is an educational summary based on sources available at the time of review. It does not replace the official patient leaflet, product label, or assessment by a qualified healthcare professional.
Medical Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Bicalutamide Tablets 50 mg, prescribing information
- DailyMed / National Library of Medicine. Bicalutamide Tablets, USP 50 mg, official label
- Ian D Cockshott. Bicalutamide: clinical pharmacokinetics and metabolism. Clinical Pharmacokinetics, 2004. View scientific article
- Keri Wellington et al. Bicalutamide 150mg: a review of its use in the treatment of locally advanced prostate cancer. Drugs, 2006. View scientific article