Ibrance, Femara , Avastin

[monalbaki]

I wonder if anyone is on this combo. What are the side effects of Ibrance? What do you do about the low WBCs? Any idea how I can detect lung blood clots, especially that I have lung mets? I am scared that the side effects are going to kill me rather than the disease itself. Pleas help me out.

[Meadesmith]

Side effects won't kill you. I am on my 19th month. I figure my side effects are like chemo SE but only about 25% of traditional chemo. I try to live clean, exercise, take supplements, lots of carrot juice. Also manage your stress, get a oncology therapist, get help managing everything.

[Mariannem]

I recommend to obtain a second opinion regarding this regimen. I would go to a major medical center and see a breast cancer specialist. Is this regimen part of a clinical trial ? Is there evidence of this combination being effective? Have you been heavily pretreated with prior chemotherapy? Are you in organ crisis? If not then there should be no hurry to start this regimen. I personally will not consider taking Avastin any time in the near future. It is known that patients who have taken Avastin in the past are at a higher risk of developing a different cancer in the future. Signs/symptoms of blood clots in the lung are new/sudden severe shortness of breath and increased heart rate. I have been living with lung mets for the past 3 1/2 years without any blood clots. Good luck with your treatment decisions.

[Halfpint2 in reply to Mariannem]

What regimen are you on?

[Mariannem in reply to Halfpint2]

I am currently on Taxol starting my 6th cycle today. Treatments in past include, capcitabine, letrozole, exemastane, fulvestrant and palbociclib with fulvestrant. I am currently hormone resistant proven with genomic testing.

[monalbaki in reply to Mariannem]

Marianne, my cancer turned very aggressive when I started capcitanine leading to high markers, progression to numerous lymph nodes and most sadly lung collapse. This was over a few weeks so my French BC oncologist (head of Gustave Russi BC oncology centre) insisted on Avastin + Taxol + carboplatin for 6 cycles followed by 2 cycles of Avastin + Taxol. Then he put me Avastin + Ibrance + Femara probably because my WBCs were only around 2000. So it looks like he may have to stop/reduce Ibrance.

What I don't understand is how you changed from hormone sensitive to hormone resistant. Will you pls et us know if this is normal. We are depending on the biopsy of almost one year back.

[Mariannem in reply to monalbaki]

Hormone resistance is usually an acquired resistance through treatments with anti hormone therapy (usually aromatase inhibitors). In the metastatic setting it is usually seen after treatment with anti hormone therapy. It can however be seen at the beginning of metastatic cancer process if the cancer recurred while on aromatase inhibitor therapy. When detected with genomic testing it is the ESR1 gene. Is genomic testing available in France? It is done with a biopsy sample. Is your cancer in a place that can be easily biopsied ? If it is you may want to consider getting a biopsy. I would also, recommend to recheck hormone status and HER2 status. Both of these can change over time with treatment. Being in France explains your current treatment plan. It is not a treatment plan that would probably be used in the U.S. Is eribulin (Halavan) available in France? I have heard that it can be quite an effective treatment. Unfortunately, it can be a hard medication to tolerate due to it's side effects. Have you responded to the chemo you have received so far ? The dose of palbociclib (Ibrance) can be reduced due to low WBC counts. There is a dose reduction protocol published by the manufacturer. Hope your treatment plan works for and you are able to achieve at least stable disease and at best no evidence of disease. I have not been able to achieve no evidence of disease however have been able to achieve stability over periods of time. I have been living with MBC for 3 1/2 years.

[daf10]

Need some extra support Pfizer has set up a special website for their Ambassadors Program You can call them and speak to a peer or just ask questions about the drug.

You can call 844-390-8696 and they can be connected with someone that would be able to answer their questions.

[monalbaki in reply to daf10]

Thanks daf, I've already registered with them.

[monalbaki]

Thanks for your reply. What is your regimen pls? How do you manage WBCs deficiency?

[lweaver]

I'm on my 3rd cycle of Ibrance and have had low WBCs and RBCs too. I have just recently discovered that cacao helps me increase my WBCs. I make a smoothie of frozen spinach, wild frozen blueberries, chocolate protein, and about a tablespoon of ground cacao nibs. I have been able to stay on Ibrance for one whole cycle which I haven't been before. I also take a supplement called Blood builder to help my RBCs and hemoglobin. I eat cacao daily in either a smoothie or add them to my nut bars I make instead of chocolate chips.