Verzenio (abemaciclib) is a targeted therapy that works by blocking proteins called CDK4 and CDK6, which help cancer cells grow. It's prescribed for certain types of breast cancer and can be taken as a daily pill, sometimes alongside hormone therapies like anastrozole.
When combined with anastrozole, Verzenio has shown Show Full Answer
Verzenio (abemaciclib) is a targeted therapy that works by blocking proteins called CDK4 and CDK6, which help cancer cells grow. It's prescribed for certain types of breast cancer and can be taken as a daily pill, sometimes alongside hormone therapies like anastrozole.
When combined with anastrozole, Verzenio has shown strong results in clinical trials, helping to slow cancer progression significantly compared to anastrozole alone. As for side effects, there are some important ones to be aware of when taking Verzenio:
- Diarrhea — the most common side effect, and can be quite intense for some people
- Hair thinning or hair loss — common but doesn't affect everyone
- Nausea and abdominal pain
- Fatigue
- Low white blood cell counts (which can increase infection risk)
One MyBCTeam member shared, *"I start Verzenio next week and was wondering about hair loss. I've heard the diarrhea can be unbearable."*
Since anastrozole also carries its own side effects like joint pain, bone loss, and hot flashes, it's really worth having a detailed conversation with your oncologist about managing both sets of side effects together. You don't have to just push through — there are often ways to help manage them!
June 14
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