abiraterone vs clomiphene
Side-by-side comparison of abiraterone and clomiphene Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Zytiga
Clomid, Serophene
Abiraterone (Zytiga) is a medicine used with prednisone to treat prostate cancer that has spread. It works by lowering the amount of androgen your body makes.
Clomiphene citrate is a medicine that helps women ovulate. It is used to help women get pregnant.
Abiraterone is used to treat prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. It is for cancers that are castration-resistant, meaning they no longer respond to hormone therapy alone. It is also used for high-risk castration-sensitive prostate cancer. You will take this medicine with prednisone.
Clomiphene citrate is used to treat women who have problems with ovulation and want to get pregnant. This medicine can help if you have polycystic ovary syndrome, have stopped having periods, or have irregular periods. Before starting, other issues that could prevent pregnancy should be checked or treated.
Abiraterone blocks an enzyme called CYP17, which your body needs to make androgens. Androgens can help prostate cancer grow. By blocking this enzyme, abiraterone lowers androgen levels and slows cancer growth.
This medicine works by affecting estrogen levels in your body. It makes your body release hormones that cause your ovaries to release an egg. This can help you get pregnant.
- • Feeling tired
- • Joint pain
- • High blood pressure
- • Feeling sick to your stomach
- • Swelling
- • Ovarian enlargement
- • Hot flashes
- • Abdominal or pelvic discomfort, bloating
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- Death 1,390
- Feeling tired 1,022
- Hot flash 678
- Weakness 562
- Worsening of disease 561
- Miscarriage 109
- Baby exposed to drug during pregnancy 107
- Feeling sick to your stomach 87
- Head pain 80
- Using the medicine for something it's not approved for 79
Abiraterone can cause problems with mineralocorticoid excess, like high blood pressure, low potassium, and fluid retention. If you have heart problems, your doctor will monitor you closely. This medicine can also cause liver problems, which can be severe. Your doctor will check your liver function regularly. Do not take abiraterone with radium Ra 223 dichloride. Abiraterone can harm an unborn baby, so men should use effective birth control if their partner can get pregnant.
Clomiphene citrate can cause ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). This is a serious condition where your ovaries get too large and fluid builds up in your body. Call your doctor right away if you have severe pelvic pain, nausea, vomiting, weight gain, or trouble breathing.
Abiraterone can cause harm to an unborn baby. Men who are taking abiraterone should use effective birth control during treatment and for 3 weeks after the last dose if their partner is able to get pregnant. It is not known if abiraterone passes into breast milk.
You should not take clomiphene citrate if you are pregnant. It can cause problems with the baby's development. Talk to your doctor if you become pregnant while taking this medicine.
How to Read This abiraterone vs clomiphene Comparison
abiraterone is classified in the CYP17 Inhibitor drug class, while clomiphene sits within the Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (Fertility) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, abiraterone has 4,213 submissions while clomiphene has 462. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between abiraterone and clomiphene — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.