Linda (in therapy) with baby
Never happier than when holding a baby
Here is some
very encouraging news for women suffering from ovarian cancer, and who have a mutation
in either BRCA gene. It is not a cure,
but it promises much longer remission times.
It concerns a “maintance drug”, specifically Olaparib.
Olaparib
(trade name Lynparza) is a PARP inhibitor.
You know what that is, right? It
was developed in Cambridge, UK, and currently is manufactured by AstraZeneca. A clinical trial indicates that it is very
effective at prolonging PFS, which stands for Progression-Free Survival. If Olaparib had been available in 2010 I
might have had Linda for many more months, even years, more. I say “might have had” because I still don’t
know about her BRCA status. I think it
is criminal not to test every woman for BRCA.
Ask your gynecologist about it.
More on this subject
ReplyDeletehttps://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/esmo/75832
The title of this blog is ill-conceived. BRCA mutations can be passed on through the male line as easily through the female. Moreover, BRCA has something to do with prostate cancer. So EVERYBODY should know their BRCA status.
ReplyDeleteHere is more on BRCA testing:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.self.com/story/brca-testing-breast-ovarian-cancer
Well, olaporib has received the seal of approval from the FDA. It appears to be effective only in cases of BRCA mutation. More reason for every woman to know her BRCA status.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.targetedonc.com/news/fda-approves-olaparib-as-frontline-maintenance-therapy-in-ovarian-cancer
The USPSTF, of which I have written many times, is notoriously stingy where the health-care nickle is concerned. Thus it is significant that they recommend enhanced testing in several instances. Let's find the money!
ReplyDeletehttps://www.aafp.org/news/health-of-the-public/20190306uspstf-brcatest.html
More on the importance of genetic testing
ReplyDeletehttp://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2019/04/ovarian-cancer-patients-undertested-for-mutations.html