As I mentioned in my last post, I will start Kisqali in April. But because I will take it, it changed the type of hormone therapy drug that I have already started taking, so I thought I would first explain why I’m taking Kisqali.
As a reminder, the main goal now is to stop the cancer from returning and/or targeting any cancer that we couldn’t see. Since I had indicators that my cancer was at a higher risk of reoccurrence, we continue to throw anything at it that we can. My breast cancer was hormone positive; thus, I have always known that the end of this process, a step was to take a drug drug that suppresses the estrogen hormones. (More on those medicines next post.)
However, there is now an additional treatment available–Kisqali!
Kisqali is a type of targeted therapy called a CDK 4/6 inhibitor. CDK 4/6 are proteins called “cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6.” Those proteins in turn simulate cancer growth, so a drug that inhibits them is a good thing. In other words, this drug targets the proteins that cause the breast cancer cells to divide and multiply. The other drugs in this category are Ibrance and Verzenio. I mention them, because they may also sound familiar to you from TV ads (but maybe those are just my hyper-specific Hulu ads). However, the only one of the three that has been shown to be effective in early breast cancer, rather than Stage III or Stage IV cancer, is Kisqali. (And if anyone from Novartis is reading this and wants to pay me to be in a Kisqali ad, leave a comment!)
But the approval of Kisqali for early breast cancer patients was very recent— on September 17, 2024! I find it very cool that I get a treatment improves my outcomes that is so new! Some of treatments (especially surgery) are ancient. Others like chemotherapy and radiation have also been around for decades, but Kisqali for early breast cancer is new!
If I recall correctly, I will be on it for three years.
However, Kisqali is counter-indicated for Tamoxifen, which is why I’m taking anastrozole. (Again, more on all of those next time!) I also have to avoid eating grapefruit while on Kisqali, so I have, of course, been craving grapefruit now. Even though I am certain I have previously gone like ten years without eating it.
Oh and why am I waiting until April? Two reasons. First, it is so I can get used to the anastrozole first. We want me to learn and adjust to those side effects before we introduce new ones. Second, I have a big trip planned in March, so we didn’t want me dealing with new side effects far away from home. (And am I excited to use Carminscorner.com for something more than cancer? Yes!) So I will start Kisqali in April!
A big thanks to the breastcancer.org website for breaking this down for me in a way that I would try to explain it here. And it was in their news section that I first learned that Kisqali was an option for me.