A trial looking at different steroid drugs to reduce the side effects of abiraterone

You may be able to enter this trial if you

• Have prostate cancer that has spread to another part of your body
• Don’t have any symptoms, but blood tests or scans show that your cancer is getting worse despite having hormone therapy
• Have very low levels of the male hormone testosterone (either as a result of hormone therapy or after having surgery to remove your testicles)
• Are well enough to carry out all your normal activities, apart from heavy physical work (performance status of 0 or 1)
• Have satisfactory blood test results
• Are able to swallow tablets
• Are at least 18 years old
• Are willing to use condoms and another form of contraception during the trial and for a week after taking the last dose of the trial drug if you are sexually active and there is any chance your partner could become pregnant

You cannot enter this trial if you

• Have a type of prostate cancer called small cell cancer
• Have cancer that has spread to your brain
• Have already had steroids as treatment for prostate cancer
• Have had chemotherapy or biological therapy for prostate cancer
• Have had radiotherapy to your prostate gland in the last 6 weeks
• Have had a type of radiotherapy called radionuclide therapy for prostate cancer that has spread and stopped responding to hormone therapy
• Have taken a drug called ketoconazole for longer than a week, or have taken similar drugs such as fluconazole or itraconazole in the last 4 weeks
• Have taken flutamide in the last 4 weeks or bicalutamide in the last 6 weeks (there are some exceptions to this that the trial team can advise you about)
• Have taken water tablets (diuretics) in the last 4 weeks
• Have taken opioid painkillers such as codeine in the last 4 weeks
• Have already had abiraterone
• Take steroids for any other medical condition (it is important that you don’t stop taking any medication before speaking to your doctor)
• Can’t take steroids for some reason
• Have had another experimental treatment in the last month
• Have had any other cancer (apart from non melanoma skin cancer) if your doctor thinks there is more than about a 30% risk that it will come back within 2 years
• Have had problems affecting your adrenal glands or your pituitary gland
• Have high blood pressure, unless it is controlled with medication that you started at least 3 months ago
• Have an active infection or other medical condition that means you shouldn’t have steroids
• Have had a heart attack in the last 6 months or have certain other heart problems (the trial team can advise you about this)
• Have diabetes , hepatitis or long term liver disease
• Have a build up of fluid in your body that causes swelling (oedema)
• Are known to be very sensitive to abiraterone or to anything it contains
• Have any other medical condition that the trial team think could affect you taking part