Ribociclib is used together with other medicines to treat women with certain types of breast cancer that have spread from the original site to nearby areas or other parts of the body.
Take Ribociclib exactly as directed by your doctor or according to the instructions on the label. Do not take more or less than instructed by your doctor.
You may take this medicine with or without food. Try to take it at the same time each day, preferably in the morning.
Swallow the tablet whole. Do not divide, chew or crush the tablet.
Ribociclib is usually taken for 21 days followed by a 7-day rest period when no medicine is taken. This is one “cycle” of treatment. The dose of this medicine will be decided by your doctor. Your doctor will advise you on the course of your treatment depending on your condition, effectiveness of the therapy, and your tolerability to this medicine. Follow your doctor's instructions carefully. Always ask your doctor if you are not sure on how to take your medicine.
If you miss a dose or vomit after taking Ribociclib, skip the missed dose and return to your normal dosing schedule.
DO NOT double a dose to make up for a missed dose.
If you often forget to take your medicine, let your doctor and pharmacist know.
Do not take Ribociclib if you are pregnant or planning to have a baby soon. If you become pregnant while being treated with this medicine, alert your doctor immediately. Ribociclib may cause harm to your unborn child.
It is important that you do not get pregnant while taking this medicine. You must use proven birth control methods during Ribociclib therapy and for at least 3 weeks after stopping the treatment. You may wish to discuss birth control methods with your doctor or pharmacist.
Do not breastfeed while you are being treated with this medicine.
Inform your doctor if you have the following conditions:
- heart problems e.g. recent heart attack, chest pain
- heart rhythm disorders e.g. irregular heartbeat
- low levels of potassium, calcium, magnesium or phosphorus in the body
- moderate to severe liver disease
- severe kidney disease
Why is it important to keep my appointments with the doctor?
Keep your appointments with your doctor. Your doctor needs to monitor your condition and check your response to the medication regularly.
- Pregnancy tests must be done before treatment to know if this medicine is suited for you to take.
- Routine tests (e.g. complete blood count, liver and kidney function tests, electrolyte levels, ECG [a test used to record the electrical activity of the heart]) may be done before and while you are being treated with Ribociclib. Your doctor will advise you about how often you need to have these tests.
- Regular monitoring for signs and symptoms of lung problems and skin reactions may also be needed.
Ribociclib may cause tiredness, dizziness or vertigo (dizziness with sensations of spinning). If affected, do not drive or take part in any activity in which you need to be alert.
Other side effects include any of the following: headache, dry eyes, sore throat, mouth sores, nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, constipation, stomach pain, dry mouth, altered taste, indigestion, loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping, back or joint pain, hair loss, and redness or dryness of the skin.
Some side effects may need immediate medical help. Alert your doctor quickly if you experience any of the following:
- chest pain or discomfort, fast or irregular heartbeat, fainting or sudden loss of consciousness
- shortness of breath, cough
- yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark coloured urine, swelling in the legs and ankles
- rashes with peeling of the skin or blistering of the lips, mouth or eyes accompanied by fever
This medicine may cause the level of your red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets to drop.
Red blood cells carry oxygen around your body. A fall in the level of red blood cells may make you feel tired and worn out.
White blood cells help your body to fight infections. A fall in the level of your white blood cells may put you at higher risk for infections, such as coughs, colds and flu, which may lead to more serious infections. Avoid crowded places and people who are sick. Inform your doctor if you have a fever, or a cough or flu that does not go away.
Platelets help your blood to clot when there is a cut in the skin. A fall in the level of your platelets may put you at risk of bleeding more than usual. Do not take part in activities where you may fall or get injured, such as contact sports. Inform your doctor if you get any unusual bruising (large bruises or several bruises, especially if the bruises appeared on their own) or bleeding that takes a long time to stop (for example, too much bleeding when you floss or brush your teeth).
Inform your doctor if any of these side effects do not go away or are severe, or if you experience other side effects.
Inform your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any of these medicines:
- medicines for irregular heartbeat e.g. amiodarone, disopyramide, quinidine, sotalol
- certain antibiotics e.g. azithromycin, clarithromycin, telithromycin, ciprofloxacin, moxifloxacin
- medicines for HIV infection e.g. indinavir, lopinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir
- medicines to treat fungal infection e.g. itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole
- medicines for epilepsy (fits or seizure) e.g. carbamazepine, phenytoin
- medicines used to treat migraine e.g. ergotamine, dihydroergotamine
- medicines used in organ transplant or certain immune disorders e.g. ciclosporin, tacrolimus
- medicines for sleep disorder e.g. midazolam, triazolam
- medicines for mood disorders e.g. pimozide, quetiapine, haloperidol
- strong painkillers e.g. fentanyl, methadone
- cholesterol-lowering medicines e.g. lovastatin, simvastatin
- tamoxifen (other medicine for breast cancer)
- chloroquine (medicine for malaria)
- rifampicin (medicine to treat TB, an infection known as tuberculosis)
- St. John's wort (herbal medicine)
This list does not include all medicines that may interact with Ribociclib.
Always notify your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including herbal tonics such as traditional Chinese medicines, supplements and medicines that you buy without a prescription.
Avoid alcohol.
Avoid excessive consumption of grapefruit or grapefruit juice (more than 1 litre a day).
Store in a cool, dry place away from the reach of children.
Medicines must not be used past the expiry date.
As this is a cancer medicine, always return any unused or expired tablets to the clinic, hospital or pharmacy for disposal. Do not throw it away in the household waste.
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