abiraterone vs raloxifene
Side-by-side comparison of abiraterone and raloxifene Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Zytiga
Evista
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.
Raloxifene (Evista) is a medicine that can help treat and prevent bone loss (osteoporosis) in women after menopause. It can also lower the chance of getting a certain type of breast cancer.
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.
This medicine is used to treat and prevent osteoporosis in women after menopause. It can also lower the risk of invasive breast cancer in women after menopause who have osteoporosis or are at high risk of getting it. This medicine is not for treating breast cancer, lowering the risk of breast cancer coming back, or lowering the risk of non-invasive breast cancer.
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.
Raloxifene belongs to a class of drugs called Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs). It works like estrogen in some parts of the body, such as bones, which helps to prevent bone loss. But it blocks estrogen's effects in other parts of the body, like the breast, which can help prevent certain types of breast cancer.
- • Feeling tired
- • Joint pain
- • High blood pressure
- • Feeling sick to your stomach
- • Swelling
- • Hot flashes
- • Leg cramps
- • Swelling in your legs or feet
- • Flu-like symptoms
- • Joint pain
- Death 1,390
- Feeling tired 1,022
- Hot flash 678
- Weakness 562
- Worsening of disease 561
- Feeling tired 143
- Joint pain 109
- Diarrhea 109
- Falling down 107
- Feeling sick to your stomach 106
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.
Raloxifene can increase your risk of blood clots in your veins (deep vein thrombosis) and lungs (pulmonary embolism). If you have had blood clots in the past, you should not take this medicine. Raloxifene can also increase the risk of death from stroke in women who have heart disease or are at risk for heart problems. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking raloxifene if you are at risk for stroke.
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 this medicine if you are pregnant or could become pregnant. It may harm your unborn baby. Do not use this medicine if you are breastfeeding.
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How to Read This abiraterone vs raloxifene Comparison
abiraterone is classified in the CYP17 Inhibitor drug class, while raloxifene sits within the Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERM) 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 raloxifene has 574. 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 raloxifene — 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.