abiraterone vs degarelix
Side-by-side comparison of abiraterone and degarelix Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Zytiga
Firmagon
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.
Firmagon is a medicine used to treat advanced prostate cancer. It works by lowering the amount of testosterone in the body.
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.
Firmagon is used to treat advanced prostate cancer in men. Prostate cancer is a disease where cells in the prostate gland grow out of control. Firmagon helps to slow down the growth of these cancer cells by reducing testosterone levels.
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.
Firmagon is a GnRH receptor antagonist. This means it blocks the effects of a hormone called gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). By blocking GnRH, Firmagon lowers the amount of testosterone produced by the body.
- • Feeling tired
- • Joint pain
- • High blood pressure
- • Feeling sick to your stomach
- • Swelling
- • Injection site reactions (pain, redness, swelling)
- • Hot flashes
- • Increased liver enzyme levels
- Death 1,390
- Feeling tired 1,022
- Hot flash 678
- Weakness 562
- Worsening of disease 561
- Tiredness 377
- Pain at the injection site 350
- Hot flash 311
- Redness at the injection site 287
- Weakness 210
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.
Firmagon can cause harm to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Androgen deprivation therapy with Firmagon may prolong the QT interval. Your doctor should consider the benefits versus the risks if you have certain heart conditions or electrolyte abnormalities.
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.
Firmagon is not for use in women. It can cause harm to an unborn baby if a pregnant woman takes it. It is not known if Firmagon passes into breast milk.
How to Read This abiraterone vs degarelix Comparison
abiraterone is classified in the CYP17 Inhibitor drug class, while degarelix sits within the GnRH Antagonist 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 degarelix has 1,535. 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 degarelix — 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.