Taking Kisqali Earlier May Help Prevent Breast Cancer Recurrence
- A large study called NATALEE found that adding a drug called Kisqali (ribociclib) to standard hormone therapy reduced the chance of cancer returning by about 28% for patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer.
- The benefit was seen across all patient groups in the study — not just one specific type of HR+ breast cancer.
- “There’s already plenty of data that the drug benefits patients when they have a recurrence,” Dr. Dennis Slamon, a medical oncologist at UCLA, tells SurvivorNet. “The question the NATALEE trial addressed overall was, would patients benefit if they received it at initial diagnosis? The answer is yes.”
- Kisqali did not significantly affect quality of life, meaning patients were able to tolerate the added treatment well.
Updated results from the NATALEE trial indicate that adding drug Kisqali (ribociclib) to standard hormone therapy could help reduce the risk of recurrence for patients regardless of the subtype of HR+ breast cancer they had.
Read MoreHow Kisqali Works
Kisqali is part of a class of medicines known as CDK4/6 inhibitors. These drugs work by slowing or stopping cancer cells from growing and dividing. Kisqali is already widely used to treat advanced or metastatic HR+ breast cancer, but the NATALEE trial evaluated whether it should be given sooner, before recurrence occurs.As Dr. Slamon highlights, researchers found that adding Kisqali to standard hormone therapy reduced the risk of the cancer returning by about 28% compared to hormone therapy alone.
Understanding CDK4/6 Inhibitors
- For Women With the Most Common Type of Breast Cancer, Exciting New Drug Called Kisqali May Cut the Risk of Cancer Returning After Treatment
- Major New Drug Approval For Preventing Recurrence In Early Stage Breast Cancer Patients: Weighing The Risks & Benefits of Kisqali
- NATALEE Trial Supports Use of Kisqali with HR+/HER2- Early-Stage Breast Cancer at Increased Risk of Recurrence
- What to Know About CDK4/6 Inhibitors as Breast Cancer Treatment: Weighing the Risks vs. Benefits
Another key finding was that the benefit appeared to extend across many different types of HR+ breast cancer.
“The good news for patients is all groups benefited from the drug,” Dr. Slamon explains.
Researchers had hoped to identify a specific group of patients who benefited the most, but instead found that the improvement was seen broadly across the study population.
“We thought we might see what subgroup benefited more, but it was consistent across all groups,” he adds.
Risks & Side Effects
Adding Kisqali did not appear to significantly reduce quality of life during treatment.
For Dr. Slamon, the findings are encouraging because they suggest doctors may be able to prevent more recurrences before they happen.
“It appears from the follow-up data we have that the curves are separating when you add this drug for improved outcomes,” he says. “It looks good for all patients in this group.”
While researchers continue to follow patients to see whether Kisqali also helps people live longer, the NATALEE trial has already provided strong evidence that using the drug earlier may help more patients stay cancer-free for longer.
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- Am I a candidate for Kisqali as part of my early treatment plan?
- How does adding Kisqali change my personal risk of recurrence?
- What side effects should I watch for, and how are they managed?
- How long would I need to take Kisqali, and what does that commitment look like?
- Are there any reasons Kisqali might not be right for me?
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