RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Comparison of Quality of Life and Injection Site Reactions After Switching from Degarelix 80 mg to 480 mg in Advanced Prostate Cancer: A Prospective Trial JF Anticancer Research JO Anticancer Res FD International Institute of Anticancer Research SP 1611 OP 1621 DO 10.21873/anticanres.16311 VO 43 IS 4 A1 KEIICHIRO MIYAJIMA A1 TAKAFUMI YANAGISAWA A1 HIROTAKA SUZUKI A1 WATARU FUKUOKAYA A1 KEIGO SAKANAKA A1 KOKI OBAYASHI A1 JUN MIKI A1 TAKAHIRO KIMURA YR 2023 UL http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/43/4/1611.abstract AB Background/Aim: Degarelix has been widely used for prostate cancer; however, injection site reactions (ISRs) can be a clinical issue. We assessed differences in ISR intensity and patient quality of life (QOL) between degarelix 80 mg and 480 mg, a three-month formulation launched in 2020 in Japan. Patients and Methods: We prospectively analyzed 25 patients with advanced prostate cancer. ISR intensity and patient QOL were evaluated before and after switching from degarelix 80 mg to 480 mg. A visual analogue scale (VAS) and faces rating scale (FRS) were applied to assess the ISRs. We applied a rating format from the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI) to assess patient QOL. Results: For degarelix 80 mg and a first dose of 480 mg, the incidence rate of ISRs was 84% and 92%, respectively (p=0.083). ISR pain on the third day after injection scored by VAS was 2.7±2.8 and 5.2±2.7, respectively (p<0.001). Other ISR findings such as redness, induration, swelling, warmth, and itching were significantly worse for degarelix 480 mg than for 80 mg. In the category of patient QOL, interference with activities of daily living such as general activity was significantly worse after degarelix 480 mg (p=0.003). However, 80% of patients were able to continue degarelix 480 mg during the nine months of follow-up. Conclusion: Degarelix 480 mg seems to exacerbate pain and other ISR findings, and to reduce patient QOL, compared with degarelix 80 mg. Optimal management of ISRs is essential to maintain patient QOL when using degarelix 480 mg.