Hormones 2016

Goserelin
Typical dosage
Pre-op 3.6mgs for 28 days cover, 10.8 mgs for 3 months cover,
Post-op Not required.
Route
This is a biodegradable subcutaneous implant = Zoladex, Zoladex LA
(Abramovitz, 2016).
Contraindications
Hypersensitivity to LHRH, LHRH-agonist analogues, lactation, breast
cancer (Abramovitz, 2016). Not recommended for use longer than 6 months
(BNF, 2016a).
Side-effects
Important things to remember about the side effects of goserelin -
• Most people do not experience all of the side effects listed.
• Side effects are often predictable in terms of their onset and duration.
• Side effects are almost always reversible and will go away after
treatment is complete.
• There are many options to help minimize or prevent side effects.
• There is no relationship between the presence or severity of side effects
and the effectiveness of the medication (chemocare, 2016).
The following side effects are common (occurring in greater than 30%) for
people taking goserelin -
• Hot flashes (see sexuality),
• Loss of interest in sex (decreased libido) (see sexuality),
• Inability to obtain or sustain an erection (impotence) (see sexuality)
(chemocare, 2016).
These side effects are less common side effects (occurring in about 10-29%)
of people receiving goserelin -
• Headache,
• Vaginal dryness (see sexuality),
• Swelling of the breasts (gynaecomastia) (see sexuality),
• Depression,
• Sleepiness,
• Skin rash (chemocare, 2016).
Rare but significant side effects may include heart problems such as
arrhythmias, congestive heart failure or heart attack (