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goserelin Side Effects

Also known as: Zoladex

Analysis of 12,855 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.

Total Reports

12,855

Death-Related

2,371

18.4% of reports

Hospitalizations

3,830

29.8% of reports

Top Indication

Prostate Cancer

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

DEATH
1,567
MALIGNANT NEOPLASM PROGRESSION
1,284
FATIGUE
837
METASTASES TO BONE
674
NEUTROPENIA
608
NAUSEA
556
HOT FLUSH
511
ASTHENIA
485
PAIN
469
DIARRHOEA
459
OFF LABEL USE
457
DYSPNOEA
430
METASTASES TO LIVER
424
ARTHRALGIA
411
HEADACHE
385
ANAEMIA
370
DRUG INEFFECTIVE
343
DIZZINESS
315
DISEASE PROGRESSION
313
VOMITING
302

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 4,348 (45%)
Male 5,342 (55%)
Unknown 12

Age Distribution

0-17 49 (1%)
18-44 1,828 (26%)
45-64 2,100 (29%)
65-74 1,392 (19%)
75+ 1,780 (25%)

Reporting Trend by Year

2004 2025

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 2,371 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 1,563
MALIGNANT NEOPLASM PROGRESSION 147
METASTASES TO BONE 78
FATIGUE 75
ASTHENIA 71
DYSPNOEA 68
GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION 66
PROSTATE CANCER 65
ANAEMIA 64
DISEASE PROGRESSION 60
PNEUMONIA 52
PROSTATE CANCER METASTATIC 52
NAUSEA 51
PAIN 51
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 45
FALL 45
NEUTROPENIA 45
OFF LABEL USE 44
METASTASES TO LIVER 41
PYREXIA 40

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 3,830 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
FATIGUE 218
PNEUMONIA 200
DYSPNOEA 196
NAUSEA 190
ANAEMIA 179
PYREXIA 177
ASTHENIA 176
MALIGNANT NEOPLASM PROGRESSION 176
DIARRHOEA 173
VOMITING 164
FALL 159
PAIN 158
MALAISE 145
METASTASES TO BONE 125
DEATH 123
HYPERTENSION 122
NEUTROPENIA 122
DECREASED APPETITE 115
DIZZINESS 115
HEADACHE 115

Nearby — Related Medications

Compare goserelin vs abiraterone →

What the FAERS Data Reveals About goserelin Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 12,855 voluntary reports linked to goserelin and its brand equivalents (Zoladex), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 2,371 (18.4%) listed death as an outcome and 3,830 (29.8%) involved hospitalization. The most common indication reported alongside adverse events was Prostate Cancer.

Demographic breakdowns help contextualize who is being exposed to the drug. Of reports with known sex, 45% were female and 55% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 2,100 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is death with 1,567 submissions, followed by malignant neoplasm progression and fatigue.

FAERS is a signal-detection tool, not a scorecard. Reports are voluntary, and a single case may list multiple suspect drugs, so numbers above should not be read as incidence rates or per-patient risk. Widely prescribed drugs naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies even when individual risk is low. These aggregates are useful for spotting patterns that merit further pharmacovigilance, not for choosing between medications. This page is for educational reference only and is not medical advice — speak with a licensed clinician about any side-effect concerns.