stage 3 and xgeva please help

AMY5

HI I got diagnosed last year stage 3 and trying to learn more about breast cancer treatment and SE through this helpful site. If anyone could help me with some information about xgeva for stage 3 please I would appreciate. My onc. recc to start this injections for prevention but my SE from AI are so severe that I'm not sure if I will be able to handle it. I don't know what to do ....thanks

sbelizabeth

Hi, Amy. Xgeva is the brand name for the drug "denosumab." It's also known as Prolia. It is a drug in the category of "bisphosphonates" which are designed to strengthen the bones. Remember Sally Fields' commercial for Boniva? Yeah, it's almost the same drug.

Denosumab is nothing at all like an AI. It works in a completely different way. Research has shown that a bisphosphonate drug can help prevent bone loss during AI therapy, and (this is big!) help prevent metastasis of breast cancer to the bone.

I was (WAS!) (YAY!) stage III and I'm on Xgeva--a shot every six months. Everyone's different, of course, but I had almost no SE from the drug. Please talk to your doctor about your concerns, but in my own experience, it was no big deal. Like a flu shot.

If I can help you at all, or if you have any questions, please PM me.