Cytochrome P450 inhibition
Nilutamide is known to inhibit several cytochrome P450 enzymes, including CYP1A2, CYP2C9, and CYP3A4, and can result in increased levels of medications that are metabolized by these enzymes. It has also been found to inhibit the enzyme CYP17A1 (17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase) in vitro and thus the biosynthesis of androgens. However, nilutamide monotherapy significantly increases testosterone levels in vivo, so the clinical significance of this finding is uncertain. Pharmacokinetics
Nilutamide has an elimination half-life of 23 to 87 hours, with a mean of 56 hours, or about two days; this allows for once-daily administration. Steady state (plateau) levels of the drug are attained after two weeks of administration with a dosage of 150 mg twice daily (300 mg/day total). It is metabolized by CYP2C19, with at least five metabolites. Virtually all of the antiandrogenic activity of nilutamide comes from the parent drug (as opposed to metabolites). Chemistry
Nilutamide is structurally related to the first-generation NSAAs flutamide and bicalutamide as well as to the second-generation NSAAs enzalutamide and apalutamide. History
Nilutamide was developed by Roussel and was first described in 1977. It was first introduced for medical use in 1987 in France and was the second NSAA to be marketed, with flutamide preceding it and bicalutamide following it in 1995. It was not introduced until 1996 in the United States. Society and culture
Generic names
Nilutamide is the generic name of the drug and its INN, USAN, BAN, and DCF.
The lack of the normal distribution of these B cells is one basis for demonstrating clonality, the key element for establishing a diagnosis of any B cell malignancy (B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma).The Matutess CLL score allows the identification of a homogeneous subgroup of classical CLL, that differs from atypical/mixed CLL for the five markers expression (CD5, CD23, FMC7, CD22, and immunoglobulin light chain)
Matutess CLL scoring system is very helpful for the differential diagnosis between classical CLL and the other B cell chronic lymphoproliferative disorders, but not for the immunological distinction between mixed/atypical CLL and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL malignant B cells). Discrimination between CLL and MCL can be improved by adding non-routine markers such as CD54 and CD200. Among routine markers, the most discriminating feature is the CD20/CD23 mean fluorescence intensity ratio. In contrast, FMC7 expression can surprisingly be misleading for borderline cases. Clinical staging
Staging, determining the extent of the disease, is done with the Rai staging system or the Binet classification (see details) and is based primarily on the presence of a low platelet or red cell count. Early-stage disease does not need to be treated. CLL and SLL are considered the same underlying disease, just with different appearances.