Hi lizzie206,
Thank you for your post.
It’s understandable you are wondering whether to a take a cdk 4/6 inhibitor (cyclin dependent kinase) such as abemaciclib and ribociclib as part of your treatment for primary breast cancer.
Research has shown that for some people, taking a CDK4/6 inhibitor along side an aromatase inhibitor such as letrozole can help reduce the risk of the breast cancer coming back (recurrence). If you do not get the answers you need, it might be helpful to speak to another oncologist as it’s important you feel supported. Do talk to your breast care nurse about this.
Like any treatment, CDK 4/6 inhibitors can cause side effects. Everyone reacts differently to drugs, and some people have more side effects than others. As @bluesatsuma shares, her experience of ribociclib has been fine and she hasn’t been affected by any major side effects. And @teddy271 says, some people find them trouble free.
It’s difficult to say how you how you would get on with it, but it’s important to know that a lot of side effects can be managed. Some people are offered a reduced dose of their treatment which helps them manage the side effects but also gain the benefit of treatment. For some people, the side effects impact their quality of life and they decide the treatment is not beneficial for them. It’s very individual.
It can be very difficult to decide what to do in situations like yours and as @unity states, you are not stupid for wanting to know more. We would suggest as @bluesatsuma says, to talk to your oncologist again and talk through the benefits of this treatment and how any side effects you experience might be managed. It can often help taking someone with you to the appointment together with a list of questions you want to ask.
Talking to someone who has had a similar experience can often be helpful and our Someone Like Me service could be a useful support for you.
The service offers you the opportunity to talk with a trained volunteer who’s had a similar experience to you. You can be in touch with your volunteer by phone or email and they can share their personal experiences to help answer your questions, offer support and listen to how you are feeling.
You can ring the Someone Like Me team on 0800 138 6551 or email them at someone.likeme@breastcancernow.org, so they can then match you to your volunteer.
It can often help talking things through and you are very welcome to call our helpline.. The helpline team have time to listen, talk things through and signpost you to additional support and information if necessary. Your call will be confidential, and the number is free from UK landlines and all mobile networks.
Our number is 0808 800 6000. If you have hearing or speech difficulties dial 18001 followed by our number and the call will go through Relay UK. Our helpline has access to telephone interpreters if language translation is required.
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Best wishes,
Helen
Breast Care Nurse
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