Zytiga can I take only 2 pills?

Hi please help. My dad can't afford Zytiga, but makes too much for assistance. However not enough to pay for zytiga! It cost more than his pension. There isn't any help from J&J for the middle class. If you never worked a day in your life or are a bum in the street you can get it. The man who has worked hard his whole life and taken good care of his family is kicked aside!
Can he take 1 or 2 pills instead of 4? Will he benefit at all.

Hello ......

   I was on Zytiga two years ago for about 5-months.

   I am on SS .... and with Part D coverage for drugs. Zytiga was considered a drug with Part D coverage in 2012. I expect it still is!

   While it is expensive, the Part D coverage did something like:

$2800. - for the first month (120-capsules)

$  700. - for the second month ("  ")

$  300. - for all subsequent months ("  ")

   The retail price was about $6000. per month. My cost with the Part D insurance coverage was about $4400. for the 5-months of Zytiga.

   The cost for the part D insurance was about $35. per month!

   The catch = he needs to be 65-years old and on Part D coverage.

Peace and wellness

Rob & Gizmo

 

I know of oncologists who have some of their patients, who have a hard time affording Zytiga, take a lower dose with food, I believe with a higher fat content and one that is consistent. The company states that it should be taken on an empty stomach, because, when taken with food, more of the drug will be absorbed in an uncontrollable rate (dependent on the amount of fat in the meal) and the side effects might be greater. So if you can control the dose with food, you may need to take only 1 or 2 tablets instead of 4. Plus it makes the whole process more convenient.

I would not do anything however without discussing with your oncologist. Hopefully others will be able to share their experience on this.

Another route, aside from taking with food, is to get the Zytiga for free in conjunction with a clinical trial. If your father has metastatic castrate-resistant PC, there are a few really good combination trials at multiple centers that he may be able to get on. Here are some promising combo therapy clinical trials that I think are worth looking into:

• with Xtandi
• with Xofigo
• with Taxotere
• with Cometriq
• with GDC-0068 Or GDC-0980
• with Velaparib

There are dozens of other clinical trials that include Zytiga that are being conducted at individual sites that may be accessible to you, depending on where you live.

- Allen

Being in NY increases your options. Here are a couple more:

• with Yervoy
• with BEZ235 or BKM120

The ones on my list that are not offered in NY or NJ is the one with Cometriq and the one with Xtandi. The one with Xofigo hasn't started recruiting in NY yet, but you can contact Bayer on their website and ask when.

- Allen