Weekly schedule of 5 days on, and two days off CDK4/6 inhibitors

[Hazelgreen]

I would really be interested in knowing about others' experience with a weekly schedule of 5 days on and two days off any CDK4/6. I am currently taking 600mg ribociclib, but my neutrofils have needed two weeks off to recover from a three weeks on schedule. My extensive mets seem to require 600 mg as 400 mg did not control them.

My oncologist is not supportive of my trying the 5 days on and two days off weekly schedule. I am hoping to be able to tell him about the experiences of other breast cancer patients on this schedule with any one of palbociclib, abemaciclib or ribociclib. Thanks for any help you may give me.

[Mumberly]

someone recently posted a link to a study on this. It was called Efficacy of an Alternative Schedule of Palbociclib in Reducing the Incidence of Grade 3 or Above Neutropenia.

I thought I had saved the link but it turns out, the link didn’t save. Just the title.

At the top, it says Published in Metastatic Breast Cancer. Journal Scan/Research August 01 2022.

I know you do lots of research so I’m sure you’ll find it quickly 😊

Kim

[Hazelgreen in reply to Mumberly]

Thanks very much, Kim! I looked up the study. It's a second stage research with 47 patients, half on each schedule. It found no disadvantage but cautioned that the results were very preliminary.

It's now been seven months since you joined. How are you doing? Your grandson must be even more fun these days!

Hugs,

Cindy

[8576]

I wanted to try this schedule last year but my oncologist refused to ok it. Congrats to you for going ahead with it even though your doctor disagreed. I think it doesn't matter how you take it as long as you get the medicine. I don't know why they don't agree to it.

Cheers, June S.

[Hazelgreen in reply to 8576]

Thanks, June, for letting me know! Isn't it surprising that oncologists two provinces apart in Canada, far distance-wise, can be equally conservative? My guy is quite young, originally from Egypt, but doesn't read research. He knows I do research online so muttered something unconvincing about the possibility of resistance being more quickly built up when one is stopping ribociclib every week...

Regards,

Cindy

[Urca]

Sorry, all the people I know take these pills fir 3 weeks and stop one week. Never heard of such an idea. I'm sorry I can't help tou. I live in Milan, italy

[Hazelgreen in reply to Urca]

Thanks for your reply, "Urca". I guess most oncologists follow the schedules supported in the original research....

[love2golfwell]

Please look up posts by Dragonfly. She is on this protocol and has good success with it. She also had to convince her oncologist to let her try this as she was having issues with her neutrophils as well as serious fatigue. She has several posts about this on this. Best wishes to you.

[Hazelgreen in reply to love2golfwell]

Good idea to review Dragonfly's experiences! Thanks!

[love2golfwell in reply to Hazelgreen]

You are welcome! I know that Dragonfly had to convinced her oncologist to let her try this protocol for Ibrance but she was happy she did. She has posted how much better she feels on this schedule. I have not really had issues with my neutrophils or fatigue on the I25 mg 3 weeks on, 1 week off. Not sure why but my neutrophils have never really dropped below 2.4. But if I was struggling with that and with too much fatigue, I would definitely question my doctor about changing the schedule and push her to let me try it!

[Totheriver]

I tried that schedule for a bit but it did not work for me. My neutrophils could never build up on time. I am now on two weeks on two weeks off and that seems to be working. Theresa

[Hazelgreen in reply to Totheriver]

I've been thinking of trying that schedule too. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[Totheriver in reply to Hazelgreen]

I hope it will work for you too.