Buserelin (Suprefact)

Buserelin is pronounced byoo-serr-uh-lin. It is also called Suprefact. It is a type of hormone therapy drug called a luteinising hormone (LH) blocker and is a treatment for prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer depends on testosterone to grow. Buserelin works by stopping the production of testosterone in the body. It does this by stopping the pituitary gland from making luteinising hormone (LH). Luteinising hormone stimulates the testicles to make testosterone. Lowering the level of testosterone in the body can shrink a prostate cancer or stop it growing.

You have buserelin as an injection just under the skin into fatty tissue in your abdomen, arm, or leg (subcutaneously). You have this 3 times a day for 7 days.

On the 8th day of treatment you start taking buserelin as a nasal spray. You spray the drug into each nostril 6 times a day. One way of remembering to do this is to use the spray before and after each meal. So you can have the treatment before and after breakfast, lunch, and your evening meal.

If you have a cold and need to use a decongestant nasal spray, don’t use the buserelin spray for 30 minutes before or after you use the decongestant.

If you have diabetes, high blood pressure or depression, tell your doctor. All of these conditions can be affected by buserelin treatment.

We have general information about hormone therapies in the cancer treatment section of CancerHelp UK.

We've listed the side effects associated with buserelin below. You can use the links to find out more about each side effect. Or you can go to the cancer drug side effects section for general information.

More than 10 in every 100 people have one or more of these.

• Problems getting an erection (impotence) due to low testosterone levels – this usually gets better within 3 or 12 months of finishing treatment
• Lower interest in having sex (low libido)
• Hot flushes and sweats in 1 out of 2 men (50%) – for some men this lasts as long as treatment continues. Tell your doctor or nurse if this effect is difficult for you to cope with
• Tiredness or fatigue while you have the treatment
• Tumour flare is a brief rise in testosterone levels that makes pain from the cancer worse for the first few weeks – your doctor will give you another hormone drug for a short time to try to prevent this
• Nose bleeds – the nasal spray can irritate the lining of your nose
• The spray may change your sense of smell and taste
• Skin rashes – these are usually mild but let your doctor know if you have them
• Painful joints
• Breast tenderness and swelling – this can be distressing and your doctor may suggest a small dose of radiotherapy before treatment to try and prevent it
• Swelling of ankles and legs due to a build up of fluid (oedema) – this is usually mild
• Changes in your blood pressure – your nurse or doctor will check your blood pressure. Most men can continue taking buserelin and the blood pressure usually goes back to normal either during treatment or when it finishes.
• Weight gain can occur – you should be able to control this with diet and exercise, but it is sometimes a struggle to keep your weight down when you are having hormone treatment
• Buserelin may have a harmful effect on a developing baby so you should not father a child while you are on treatment – discuss contraception with your doctor before treatment starts if this is a possibility
• A feeling that your heart is racing (palpitations)

Between 1 and 10 in every 100 people have one or more of these.

• Anxiety and mood changes
• Worsening of depression – tell your doctor if you suffer from depression
• Memory problems and difficulty concentrating
• Bruising of the skin where you have the injection
• Headache and dizziness
• Feeling or being sick is usually mild and can be controlled by anti sickness medicines

Fewer than 1 in 100 people have these.

• Bone thinning can happen with long term treatment
• You may find that the levels of sugar in your blood can change. You will have regular blood tests. If you are diabetic, you need to take extra care in checking your blood sugar.
• Bruising due to a drop in platelets
• An increase in the number of infections you get – due to a drop in the number of white blood cells in the blood
• Some people have an allergic reaction while having the first treatment – let your treatment team know immediately if you feel hot or have any skin rashes, itching, dizziness, headaches, shivering, breathlessness, anxiety, flushing of the face, or a sudden need to pass urine
• There is a small risk of developing a second cancer some years after buserelin treatment
• Dry eyes – your nurse can give you eye drops to help

You won’t get all these side effects. Any that you get may be mild. But a side effect may get worse through your course of treatment. Or you may have more side effects as the course goes on. This depends on

• How many times you've had a drug before
• Your general health
• How much of the drug you have (the dose)
• Other drugs you are having

Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse about all your side effects so they can help you manage them. Your nurse will give you a contact number. You can ring them if you have any questions or problems. They can give you advice or reassure you. If in doubt, call them.

Tell your doctor about any other medicines you are taking, including vitamins, herbal supplements and other over the counter remedies – some drugs can react together.