Treatment Regimen
Trelstar® is administered via an intramuscular injection. Three formulations of Trelstar are available:
- Trelstar 22.5 mg dosed every 6 months (24 weeks)
- Trelstar 11.25 mg dosed every 3 months (12 weeks)
- Trelstar 3.75 mg dosed once a month (4 weeks)
How Long Will You Take Trelstar?
Because Trelstar does not cure prostate cancer, your doctor may want you to take it as long as it keeps working. Your doctor may do lab tests such as measuring your blood level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) or testosterone to be sure that Trelstar is working. Your doctor may order an imaging study such as a bone scan while you’re taking Trelstar.
What Should You Do if You Miss an Injection?
If you are going to be away from home and have to miss an injection of Trelstar, check with your doctor. If you miss an injection, contact your doctor right away. Trelstar.com has included a Treatment Diary (pdf) to help you keep track of when your next injection is scheduled.
Getting Support
Support groups can help you through your treatment and the challenges you may face. Other resources offer information that can help you make decisions with your doctor.
Learn More.
To learn more, download the Trelstar Patient Education Brochure (pdf).
Indication
Trelstar® is indicated for the palliative treatment of advanced prostate cancer.
Important Safety Information
After your first injection of Trelstar®, you might feel a temporary increase in your cancer symptoms, such as pain in your bones, nerve disorder, blood in your urine, blockage in the canals leaving your bladder, or pressure in the spinal cord that may lead to weakness or paralysis with or without fatal complications. This is because the amount of testosterone in your bloodstream actually goes up for a short period after the injection. If your symptoms increase later than the first week or two following an injection, tell your doctor. The most common side effects that patients taking Trelstar® have are actually the effect of lowering testosterone levels. The most common effect of lowering testosterone is hot flushes or flashes. These are like the hot flashes women have around the time of menopause. Other side effects include bone pain, impotence (sexual side effect), tissue breakdown in the testicles, headache, leg pain, and swelling in the legs. Women who are or may become pregnant and those who are allergic to this type of drug should not take Trelstar®. A severe potentially fatal form of shock, hyper allergic response, and allergic swelling related to Trelstar® have been reported. For more information on these and other side effects, please talk to your doctor.
