Hope for those wanting to get on Palbociclib (Ibrance)

Sandilee, I am in Utah, and my friend is in Michigan. Both of us felt like our oncologists really made the case for us with the insurance companies, so maybe that helped. I don't know.

I will be taking it with Letrozole. I am currently on Tamoxefin, and it seems to be working just fine for me, but I have been trying to get on Palbo/Letrozole for several months now (through the phase 3 trial they had, and now through insurance), and I feel good about this option for me right now. My hope is that it will be available to those who feel that it is the right fit for them right now. I know there are a lot of other good options out there though. But many women have been really waiting to get on this drug!

Bestbird, That's a good question! I was in remission for 2 years on Anastrozole, then it failed me in July 2014, and I had a recurrence in my right iliac bone. At that time, we explored all the options out there, and with my oncologist, came to the conclusion that it would be great if I could get on a trial of Palbociclib (or another CDK inhibitor).

I then went to MD Anderson in Houston for a second opinion, and without telling him what my oncologist said, he recommended the exact same thing. At that time I really came to feel at peace with that decision for my next treatment, but quickly found out it was harder to get on than I realized. I decided to stick with my decision to get on Palbociclib, but didn't want to go untreated for too long, and decided to take Tamoxifen in the interim.

When Pfizer started the expanded access program last October, I met all the requirements to get into that trial, but my hospital did not have the trial, and so they began the process of getting approved for it. According to my doctor it was the longest process, with the most hoops to jump through, that she has ever experienced, and they were still in the process of getting approved for the trial when Pfizer announced that Palbociclib was FDA approved. They would not open any new sites for the expanded access program, yet they redefined the eligibility for Palbociclib as those who had not been on any prior endocrine therapy. This seemingly excluded me.

I am a person who does a lot of research, thinking, and praying about my treatment, and then after that, I really rely on my gut feeling. So, after a recent PET scan which showed that the Tamoxifen seems to be keeping my cancer stable, I could definitely continue with Tamoxefin, but I just don't want to! That's the long answer to your short question! On paper, continuing on Tamoxifen is a reasonable option, but it's not what I feel right about, and not what I want to do. I only have one little spot of cancer right now, and I want to be on the most effective treatment that will hopefully get me back to NED, or at least keep me stable, for many years to come, and I think (and hope) Palbociclib is what will do that for me.

I was getting discouraged that my "gut feeling" was off because Palbo didn't seem to be available to me, but now I feel much more comfortable, and at peace, that I will be able to follow the treatment I feel best about.

Thank you Divine. That's my plan!!

I will be starting on Ibrance and Femara (or you could call it Palbociclib and Letrozole) on Monday! Hoping I still feel normal.