Letrozole only for Stage 4 anyone?

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ShazzaKelly
ShazzaKelly Member Posts: 909
edited February 2018 in Stage IV/Metastatic Breast Cancer ONLY

I have had progression to my vagina of all places after 4 years stable on weekly Taxol. My Onc has started me on Letrozole as the biopsy showed my cancer to be strongly hormone positive.

My oncologist also mentioned adding Ibrance as an option. I live in New Zealand where we can only get this if we self fund it at about NZD 7,000 a month, so extremely expensive. Is it worth it, or are there people out there who have had success with Letrozole alone.

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  • Grannax2
    Grannax2 Member Posts: 2,551
    edited February 2018

    There's a lady from B.C. who is on letrozole only. She is Vilma65 and posts on liver mets thread. Letrozole is not covered for her.

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  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 12,424
    edited February 2018

    Hi,

    I have bone mets. I was on Anastrozole alone for two years and then switched to letrozole. I have been on letrozole only for 4 1/2 years with no progression. Wishing you the best and feel free to ask me anything! Ibrance was not approved for use when I was first dx'ed. Since I've done well on letrozole alone, I am not going to change tx. My insurance would cover it , but I can't imagine finding that much money each month to pay for it. The drug manufacturer may have a payment assistance program if you are still interested in Ibrance

    Caryn

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  • jamiemarie
    jamiemarie Member Posts: 73
    edited February 2018

    Count me as another who was on letrozole alone for over a year. I have liver mets.

    Jamie

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  • ShazzaKelly
    ShazzaKelly Member Posts: 909
    edited February 2018

    thanks guys. I was diagnosed with Mets to pretty much everywhere which is why I started with chemo. Currently only the vaginal mass and a few of my bone Mets are active so I’m happy I guess to just see how things pan out on the Letrozole alone, while I could self fund the Ibrance for a little while it’s not a long term option and it could be sometime before it’s funded in New Zealand.

    After over 4 years of weekly chemo I’m looking forward to one little tablet a day and fewer hospital visits

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  • Heidihill
    Heidihill Member Posts: 5,476
    edited February 2018

    I am also pre-Ibrance. After chemo, I had letrozole only, then anastrazole, then Tamoxifen, all without Ibrance. Pfizer has a financial assistance program in the US with a Website www.pfizeroncologytogether.com. You can contact Pfizer in New Zealand to check if they have something similar.

    Hoping they can be of help and that the pills and maybe capsules, too, work a long time. 

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