How do you take Kisqali?
Take the dose of Kisqali (ribociclib) your doctor orders at about the same time each day, preferably in the morning. Swallow Kisqali tablets whole with water. Take with or without food. Do not crush, split, or chew the medicine or take any tablets that look broken or damaged. Do not change your dose or stop taking Kisqali unless your healthcare provider directs you to do so.
If you miss a dose of Kisqali or vomit after taking a dose of Kisqali, do not take another dose on that day. Skip that dose and take your next dose at your regular time.
If you overdose or take too much Kisqali, call your doctor right away, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.
Avoid eating grapefruit and drinking grapefruit juice while you are taking Kisqali. The drug interaction between Kisqali and grapefruit can increase the amount of Kisqali in your blood and may cause or worsen side effects.
Also avoid taking St. John's Wort while you are being treated with Kisqali. Combining these medications may lower the blood levels of Kisqali, which may make the medication less effective in treating your cancer.
There are many other possible drug interactions with Kisqali. Be sure to have your doctor or pharmacist check for drug interactions with your prescription medicines, over-the-counter (OTC), herbal and vitamin products before and during treatment with Kisqali.
What is the recommended dose?
Your doctor will tell you how to take all of your medicines. Follow your doctor’s instructions exactly.
- In early breast cancer treatment, the recommended starting dose of Kisqali is 400 mg (two 200 milligram tablets) taken by mouth once daily for 21 days in a row, followed by 7 days off treatment, in combination with four weeks of a prescribed aromatase inhibitor (AI). Patients should take Kisqali for 3 years.
- In advanced or metastatic breast cancer, the recommended starting dose of Kisqali is 600 milligrams (three 200 milligram tablets) taken by mouth once daily for 21 days in a row, followed by 7 days without taking Kisqali treatment, to complete a cycle of 28 days. It is used in combination with a prescribed endocrine therapy (fulvestrant or an aromatase inhibitor).
Kisqali can be taken with or without food. People should take their dose at about the same time each day, preferably in the morning.
Pre- or perimenopausal women, or men, treated with the combination Kisqali plus an aromatase inhibitor or fulvestrant, should be treated with a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist according to current clinical practice standards.
Your doctor may need to temporarily stop Kisqali, change your dose or permanently discontinue your regimen based on how well you tolerate the treatment.
Related: Kisqali dosage information (in more detail)
Related questions
- Does Kisqali improve survival / life expectancy for mBC?
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What type of breast cancer does Kisqali treat?
Kisqali can be used in 2 different populations to treat breast cancer.
Early Breast Cancer
Kisqali is used in combination with an aromatase inhibitor (AI) for the adjuvant treatment (after initial therapy) of adults with HR+/HER2- stage II and III early breast cancer (EBC) at high risk of recurrence.
Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer
Kisqali is used to treat adults with HR+/HER2- advanced or metastatic breast cancer (when the cancer has gotten worse or spread to other parts of the body). Kisqali is normally taken in combination with:
- an aromatase inhibitor (for example: letrozole or anastrozole), as the first endocrine-based therapy, or
- fulvestrant, as the first endocrine-based therapy or following disease progression on endocrine therapy.
It is not known if Kisqali is effective in children.
How do I store Kisqali?
After you receive the medicine from the pharmacy, you can store Kisqali at room temperature in its original blister pack between 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C) for up to 2 months.
Keep Kisqali and all medicines out of the reach of children and pets.
This is not all the information you need to know about Kisqali (ribociclib) for safe and effective use and does not take the place of talking to your doctor about your treatment. Review the product information, and discuss this information and any questions you have with your doctor or other health care provider.
References
- Kisqali (ribociclib) [product information]. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
East Hanover, N.J. Revised Sept 2024. Accessed Nov 8, 2024 at https://www.novartis.com/us-en/sites/novartis_us/files/kisqali.pdf
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