Has anyone changed from letrozole & ibrance to tamoxifen after progression of tumors?

[Ssm2019]

Hi, my mum has been on ibrance & letrozole for just over 1 yr. now (mets to the spine) and latest scans (due to hospital admission with fever and confusion) showed new tumor in brain! Oncologist has suggested radiotherapy for the new tumor (she had 2 days ago and so far so good) and a change of meds to tamoxifen (she had after first treatment for breast cancer 11yrs ago!) just wondering if tamoxifen will help slow the tumors? Has anyone has this experience? Oncologist said next step would be chemotherapy which she doesn’t like the sound of?

Hope everyone is doing ok through these tough times!

Thanks Faye

[Barbteeth]

Hi there

I’m in a similar situation except my new mets are in my liver and I have a pleural effusion

Ibrance letrazole combo failed as did everolimus and exemastane...my oncologist wanted me to have chemo but I refused...I’m now having faslodex injections which is a similar drug to tamoxifen

I understand totally how your mum feels re chemo....we are in charge of our own health as well

Barb xx

[Ssm2019 in reply to Barbteeth]

Hi barb,

Sorry you have to go through all this along with all the other lovely women on this site, it helps me just to talk about it with people going through the same thing, even tho it’s not me I feel the pain for my mum and all of you.

How have you been on the shots? My mum was great taking tamoxifen last time no side effects and none this time, she has a tumor pressing on a nerve (sciatic nerve) so she is in pain pretty much all day! Was great with fatigue but now the radiotherapy has kicked in on her brain she is drained and is struggling to walk.

I just hope that tamoxifen is going to work I havnt heard of anyone taking this for mets?

Thanks Faye

[Barbteeth in reply to Ssm2019]

Hi Faye

When I was first diagnosed tamoxifen was mentioned...I remember distinctly because it was the only one I recognised so it’s used here

Barb xx

[hdhonda in reply to Barbteeth]

Barb,

Read down to the last post on this subject. It might be of interest to you. It is a list of the three choices suggested when Ibrance stops working. Moffitt Cancer Center is one of the top cancer centers in the U.S. I think maybe something like number 7. Both suggested Faslodex alone. I hope it does well for you. Blessings Hannah

[hdhonda]

I am sorry your Mom is having a tough time. Barb mentioned faslodex shots. I have a list of next options from my local onc and the one at Moffitt Cancer Center. Both wrote on the after Ibrance list faslodex. It might be worth asking her onc what he/she thinks. Best of luck. Blessings Hannah

[Ssm2019 in reply to hdhonda]

Hi Hannah,

Thanks for your reply it would be great to know what other options you have been given if you don’t mind sharing? We are in the uk so options may be different if you are in a different country?

I have researched options for my mum and some differ with age of patient and type of breast cancer Im not a doc so I’m just going of what I read on the internet but all suggestions are helpful!

Thanks Faye

[hdhonda in reply to Ssm2019]

Dr. Mahmood (local)

1. Affinitor plus aromasin

2. Faslodex

3. Xeloda

Dr. Khong (Moffitt Cancer Center

1. Faslodex plus Alpelisib

2. Affinitor plus aromasin

3. Faslodex alone.

Alpelisib was still waiting FDA approval when Dr. Mahmood gave me his list.

All of the drugs above except Faslodex cause high blood sugar and I am diabetic. I go back to Moffitt next week so hopefully Ibrance is still working and I won't have to make a decision. I am 74 years old.

I think neither was thinking about the diabetes when I asked where I go next because Ibrance/Letrozole was working. I later looked them up and found that faslodex is the only one I should take. If that doesn't work I guess I will have to do IV chemo. Blessings Hannah

[Bestbird]

Tamoxifen crosses the blood brain barrier and is a systemic therapy in and of itself. Faslodex does not cross the blood brain barrier.

If your mother had Tamoxifen a while back, she might speak with her doctor about Fareston, a sister drug that has a different chemical composition.

I hope your mother's next treatment works well!