Proscar

Proscar, or finasteride, is an oral medication used to treat urinary problems caused by an enlarged prostate gland.  Proscar is also prescribed as an alternative treatment to individuals who are likely candidates for surgery to remedy urinary conditions. Proscar is manufactured by Merck and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) in 1992.

How Proscar Works

Proscar is a member of the finasteride class of drugs used for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (“BPH”).  Proscar works by helping to reduce the enlargement of the prostate by blocking the enzyme Type II 5-Alpha Reductase. This enzyme is responsible for transforming the male hormone testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (“DHT”).

Proscar helps decrease DHT levels, shrinking the prostate over time, as well as alleviating the symptoms of an enlarged prostate, which include difficulty urinating, getting up during the night to urinate, decreased urinary flow, and hesitation at the start of urination. Proscar is also used to reduce the risk of urinary retention or surgery related to an enlarged prostate.

Proscar Safety Concerns:Breast Cancer and Prostate Cancer

Recently, Proscar has been linked to several serious side effects, including breast cancer and prostate cancer. Specifically, on August 4, 2011, Health Canada required new warning labels for Proscar after receiving reports that males taking the finasteride containing drug developed breast cancer. Additionally, Proscar has been linked to high grade prostate cancer. On June 9, 2011, the FDA issued a Drug Safety Community Publication amending the label of the 5-Alpha Reductase inhibitor based on its review of two large controlled trials, namely the Reduction by Dutasteride of Prostate Cancer Events and the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial. Both of these trials involved 27,000 men, aged 50 years and older, who used Proscar for several years. Both trials concluded that there were an increased number of people with high-grade prostate cancer amongst those who had been treated with finasteride. As a direct consequence of the two trials, future labels of all FDA approved 5-Alpha Reductase inhibitors now contain information that the drug may increase the risk of being diagnosed with high-grade prostate cancer, which is extremely aggressive.