When to stop taking Ibrance? Been Taking for Almost 4 years

I’ve been taking ibrance for 48 cycles.
I have always been told that is the medicine I will always be on , as long as it continues to work. As long as she’s stable
On this medication they will keep her on it. I wish her luck with this medicine. It’s been a life saver for me. Good luck.

Hi txd,

I was only on Ibrance for a short time due to severe anemia but wanted to comment on your question about tumour markers. You really can't make comparisons between people. For some, their markers fluctuate widely when they are progressing going into the hundreds or thousands while for others, they are not sensitive or the changes are more subtle. I am in the latter category. My CA 15-3 had been sitting at 37 for quite some time although I suspected progression was beginning (and I have extensive bone mets and pleural involvement). Now it has spread to my liver and it took a jump... to.. 45. Not exactly definitive but pointing to changes.

It's really hard to compare with others. It’s best to look at one’s individual trends. Those numbers sound like stable so the Ibrance is probably still doing what it should.

After my reoccurrence I asked my MO how long I would stay on Ibrance. He sort of growled at me, you know you’re stage 4. I’ve since learned I’ll stay on it until it stops working for me. Then on to something else. Hopefully that’s a long time.

I was on 125mg for about a year then dropped to 100 mg. That happens a lot, and if necessary I could drop to 75 mg. Don’t be alarmed if that happens, it’s normal and common.

My markers average 22-26 ranges.

The first time Ibrance became available for mbc treatment was in 2015. It was a phase 3 trial. It had such good results, it was fast-tracked for FDA approval. I have read accounts from other women who were in that phase 3 trial who say they are still taking it because they remain progression-free. As to how many women that represents, it is probably not known.

But, txd, there is an Ibrance thread on this forum and many of the women there have been taking Ibrance for quite some time. You can visit the thread and inquire as to their longevity with the drug.

So this is a rather new medicine. I’ve been living with mbc for over 10 years now, and Ibrance was not on the market when I was diagnosed from the start with mbc. My first treatment consisted of chemo, a lumpectomy and then radiation and after all that, I had a long stretch of stability on Arimidex, which is an anti-estrogen inhibitor. When that stopped working, I went on a different AI and Ibrance. Ibrance did not work for me.

But for those who do well on it, don’t fix what ain’t broke. Appreciate all the stability that Ibrance gives you. I would say there is no end point for taking it if it continues to keep you progression-free.

SondraF,

Yes, you're right, but it wasn't Ibrance. I took a long break from Faslodex after I had been on it for many years. Eventually scans showed that my lung mets were growing, so I went back on Faslodex and started Ibrance, I turned out to be one of those rare birds to have a horrible reaction and was sick for months, very short of breath, coughing, sleeping a lot and feeling generally awful. My oncologist did not seem concerned when I complained and did not offer to reduce my dose until I documented my symptoms for a month and read him some of the descriptions. Wonky blood tests and new lung issues proved I was having trouble even on 100mg, so I came off Ibrance entirely in September.

Happily, Faslodex continues to be my friend!

Tina