Ibrance, made simple.
Ibrance is an oral medicine for a common type of advanced breast cancer. It is taken in a monthly cycle, 3 weeks on and 1 week off, alongside a hormone therapy. This guide explains how it works, the cycle, and what to watch for, in plain words. A Mississippi pharmacist wrote it for you, with care.
This guide is here to teach you. It is not medical advice, and it does not replace your doctor or pharmacist. Always do what your doctor tells you, and ask a pharmacist before you change how you take any medicine.
Print this guide for your fridgeWhat Ibrance is and why your doctor gave it to you
Ibrance is a capsule or tablet taken by mouth. Its other name is palbociclib.
It is used to treat a specific kind of advanced or metastatic breast cancer, the kind that is hormone receptor positive and HER2 negative. Your cancer team will have confirmed your cancer is this type before choosing Ibrance.
Ibrance is not used by itself. It is always taken together with a hormone therapy, such as an aromatase inhibitor or fulvestrant. The two work as a pair. Ibrance slows the cancer cells from dividing, and the hormone therapy removes the hormone signal that this kind of cancer feeds on.
The simple version: Ibrance is an oral breast cancer medicine taken in monthly cycles, always paired with a hormone therapy. Together they slow the cancer down.
How Ibrance works
Cancer cells grow by dividing, copying themselves over and over. To divide, a cell has to pass through a series of steps, almost like checkpoints.
Ibrance blocks two proteins that cancer cells use to get through one of those early checkpoints. With that checkpoint blocked, the cancer cells cannot move forward to divide.
The hormone therapy you take alongside Ibrance does a different job, cutting off the hormone signal this cancer relies on. Slowing division and cutting the fuel supply, together, is the strategy.
Your dose, and how the cycle works
Ibrance is taken once a day for 21 days, then you stop for 7 days, and that 28 day stretch is one cycle. The week off lets your blood counts recover before the next cycle begins. Your doctor sets your dose and your pharmacist checks it. This page will not tell you what dose to take.
There is one detail that matters and is easy to miss. Ibrance comes as both capsules and tablets. If you have the capsules, take them with food. If you have the tablets, they can be taken with or without food. Always check which form you have, and ask your pharmacist if you are not sure.
Take Ibrance at about the same time each day during your 21 dosing days. Swallow it whole, do not chew, crush, or open it.
Timing, and what to do if you miss a dose
Take Ibrance once a day during your 21 dosing days, at about the same time, then take your 7 day break before the next cycle.
If you miss a dose:
- If you miss a dose, do not take an extra dose to make up for it.
- If you vomit after taking a dose, do not take a replacement dose that day.
- In both cases, simply take your next dose at its normal scheduled time.
- Never take two doses at once.
Side effects, what is normal and what is not
Common.
- Tiredness.
- Nausea, loose stools, or mouth sores.
- Hair thinning.
- A higher chance of catching infections, because Ibrance lowers infection-fighting blood cells.
Call your cancer team if you notice:
- Signs of infection, such as a fever, chills, or a sore throat.
- Mouth sores that make eating difficult.
- Unusual tiredness or shortness of breath, which can come from a low blood count.
- Any new or worsening cough.
Go to the emergency room right away if:
- You have a fever, especially a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher, with signs of infection. When blood counts are low, a fever is urgent and needs care right away.
- You have new or worsening shortness of breath, or a cough that is getting worse, which can be a sign of lung inflammation.
What to be careful with
One everyday caution stands out with Ibrance: grapefruit. Avoid grapefruit, grapefruit juice, and related fruits like Seville oranges and pomelos. They can raise the level of Ibrance in your body and increase side effects.
Some medicines interact too. Strong antifungal medicines can raise Ibrance levels, and your dose may be lowered if you need one. The herbal supplement St. John's Wort can make Ibrance weaker and should be avoided.
The simple rule: tell every doctor and every pharmacist that you take Ibrance, and check any new medicine or supplement with your pharmacist first. At Fairview, we check every new prescription against your list.
What it costs
The cost is different for every person, because every insurance plan is different.
Here is the honest way to find your price. If you pay cash, call Fairview and we will give you a price for your situation. If you have private insurance, there may be a coupon or a savings program from the maker of the drug that helps lower your cost, and we will check if one is available for you. The best step is to let a pharmacist look at your plan. We do this for every patient.
Do not let cost make you skip doses. Call us first. There is almost always something we can do.
There is also a generic version of many medicines. The generic is the same medicine. Ask your pharmacist if a generic is a good fit for you.
What should be checked
Ibrance treatment includes regular checks that keep you safe and let your team see how the cancer is responding.
Your cancer team should check:
- Your blood counts, before each cycle, since Ibrance lowers infection-fighting cells.
- How the cancer is responding to treatment.
- Any sign of lung inflammation, such as a new cough or breathlessness.
- Your overall wellbeing and how you are tolerating the cycles.
Your pharmacist should:
- Confirm which form you have, capsule or tablet, since the food rule differs.
- Check every new medicine and supplement against Ibrance.
- Coordinate your refills with your treatment cycles.
- Keep your information private, always.
At Fairview, we keep your Ibrance fills lined up with your cycles, and we make sure you know whether to take yours with food. Your care is handled discreetly and with respect.
Special situations
Low blood counts, and fever.
The most important thing to watch with Ibrance is a drop in the blood cells that fight infection. Your team checks your counts before each cycle. The rule to remember: if you get a fever, a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher, especially with chills or feeling unwell, do not wait. Go to the emergency room. When counts are low, an infection can become serious quickly, and prompt care makes the difference.
Capsule or tablet, and food.
Ibrance comes in two forms. The capsules must be taken with food. The tablets can be taken with or without food. This catches people out, so check your bottle and ask your pharmacist if you are unsure which you have.
Avoid grapefruit.
Grapefruit, grapefruit juice, Seville oranges, and pomelos can raise the level of Ibrance in your body and increase side effects. It is easiest to simply avoid them while you are on Ibrance.
Pregnancy.
Ibrance can harm a developing baby. If you can become pregnant, use reliable birth control during treatment and for at least 3 weeks after your last dose. Talk with your cancer team about this.
Cost should never be the reason you stop.
Ibrance is expensive at full price, but there is strong help. The manufacturer program can bring the cost to nothing for many people with commercial insurance, and there is an assistance program for the uninsured and for government-insured patients. If cost is a worry, call Fairview before you ever skip a dose.
How Fairview helps Ibrance patients
When you fill Ibrance at Fairview, here is what you get. This is normal care for us, and it is always private.
When you start:
- We confirm whether you have capsules or tablets, and explain the food rule.
- We check all your medicines and supplements against Ibrance.
- We explain the 21 on, 7 off cycle clearly.
- We talk through cost and help you find any program you qualify for.
At every refill:
- We line your fill up with your next cycle.
- We check your file for any new medicines.
- We answer any new questions, privately.
On our own, without being asked:
- If a refill is at risk of running late, we call you.
- If we see a medicine that does not mix with Ibrance, we call your doctor.
- We check your cost at every fill to keep it as low as possible.
- We keep your care discreet and respectful, always.
Questions people ask about Ibrance
Ibrance is used alongside a hormone therapy to treat hormone receptor positive, HER2 negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer in adults. It slows the cancer cells from dividing.
Related guides
Have a question about your Ibrance? Ask a pharmacist you can trust.
Going through breast cancer treatment is a lot to carry. The medicine details, the cycles, the cost, you do not have to manage all of it alone. Fairview is here to handle the pharmacy side, privately and without judgment, so you can focus on getting through it. If something made you wonder, ask us.