Fiona and her husband looked forward to retiring together and often talked about their plans. But out of nowhere Fiona was diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer, and their lives were turned completely upside down. Thankfully, a drug called olaparib gave them hope for the future.
So many people were involved in the development of olaparib, from Professor Steve Jackson and all the scientists carrying out the research, to the Curestarters like you who helped fund it. To every single person, I would like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have given me more time to live my life, with the people I love – and given me hope for the future.
Life before my advanced ovarian cancer diagnosis:
I live with my husband in a lovely village in south Perthshire. We love to go walking together, visit family and friends across the country and, when we can, travel further afield.
I worked in the NHS for 40 very rewarding years in a variety of different roles – as a nurse, a midwife, a health visitor, an occupational health nurse, a researcher, and finally a further education lecturer. I didn’t intend on retiring for at least another four or five years, but sadly I had to take ill-health early retirement when I became unwell. It was a very strange way to finish my career.
I was on annual leave when I had the appointment that changed everything.
I had been experiencing some nagging symptoms, but I was convinced that it would all be down to something very minor that could be easily dealt with – so convinced that I had postponed my appointment for a week, because of our holiday plans.
The shock of my ovarian cancer diagnosis:
As soon as I saw the gynaecologist, I knew she suspected something much more serious. A whirlwind of tests followed – an internal ultrasound, blood tests and then a CT scan.
My husband and I tried to fill the time waiting for the results by visiting local areas and going for long walks, but my overwhelming memory is of being full of anxiety.
Soon it was confirmed - I had ovarian cancer. Then, not long after, a biopsy revealed the cancer was advanced. It was devastating to get that news and we were both so scared.
All I could think about was of my experience working in gynaecology and of the people I had met on the ward. I knew all too well how few treatments had been available for ovarian cancer for such a long time, and I had seen far too many patients sent home with the unthinkable knowledge that there were no options left.
It was always absolutely devastating to see them leave, knowing that there was nothing more that could be done for them. And now I was facing that same dread and uncertainty. It felt impossible to make any plans for the future because I was convinced that it was a future I wouldn’t be here for.
My ovarian cancer treatment: surgery, chemotherapy, and olaparib
I was booked in for surgery just two weeks after the biopsy results, a scary prospect as the operation was a major one. After I recovered I started six months of chemotherapy - I coped quite well and remained as positive as I could, but I found it quite traumatic to lose my hair. I’m a redhead, so it was a big part of my identity. Still, I smiled as I entered the chemotherapy unit, glad to start treatment that would hopefully knock out the cancer cells.
Seven weeks after that, I began taking olaparib. I was considered a good fit as I had the BRCA2 mutation - something that surprised me at the time, as I had no history of breast or ovarian cancer in my family. My oncologist explained a clinical trial had shown significant benefits of treatment with olaparib in patients with advanced ovarian cancer.
A success story made possible by international cancer research
It does make me feel very lucky in a way, that my diagnosis happened when it did – after this clinical trial had taken place and olaparib had been approved for use by the NHS. Sadly, I know that for many people, this wasn’t the case.
Prior to the development of olaparib and other drugs like it, there had been no real change in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer for decades, and the outlook was grim for most patients. But olaparib was a complete game-changer. It’s been revolutionary for the treatment of ovarian cancer.
I have done well on olaparib and incredibly I have now reached a stage where most of the time I can put cancer to the back of my mind. I turned 60 recently and my husband and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary. It’s difficult to put into words how extremely grateful I am that I now feel like I have a future.
Your olaparib FAQs:
What is olaparib (Lynparza)?
Olaparib is a PARP inhibitor, a type of targeted therapy for cancer. It was the first PARP inhibitor launched and it was developed thanks to amazing Curestarter research.
What is the difference between olaparib and Lynparza?
7. Lynparza® is the brand name for olaparib so sometimes you might see this name used.
How does olaparib work in treating ovarian cancer?
PARP is a protein that helps cells to repair themselves when they are damaged. In healthy cells this DNA repair is useful, but in cancer cells it allows cancers to grow out of control. PARP inhibitors like olaparib work by targeting PARP in cancer cells and stopping it working. This means that the cancer cells die.
What are common side effects of olaparib (Lynparza)?
Side effects can include an increased risk of infection, anaemia, bruising, bleeding, feeling sick, diarrhoea, tummy pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, dizziness, sore mouth. Sometimes the dose of olaparib can be tweaked to help alleviate side effects.
How effective is olaparib in treating ovarian cancer?
A trial found that there was a 70% reduction in the risk of progression or death for women with ovarian cancer given olaparib compared to a placebo. Research is ongoing to discover which patients will benefit most from olaparib and how it could be combined with other treatments to help reach even better outcomes.
Are there alternative treatments to olaparib for ovarian cancer?
For early stage ovarian cancer the most common treatments are surgery or chemotherapy. Later stage ovarian cancer, when it has advanced and spread to other parts of the body, is much harder to treat. PARP inhibitors like olaparib have been game-changing for people like Fiona with advanced ovarian cancer.
Can olaparib be used for other types of cancer?
Yes, olaparib can be used for certain people with breast cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer. Because it is a targeted therapy it only works when the target is there, so it is not appropriate for all patients.
Can olaparib be used after chemotherapy?
Yes, in fact research recently showed that in breast cancer patients a dose of olaparib after each chemotherapy dose helped to improve survival rates.
Are there ongoing trials for olaparib (Lynparza)?
Yes, research continues to explore possible patient benefits of olaparib so we hope that in the future might be able to help more patients or more cancer types.
What role did cancer research play in making olaparib available?
Research was vital in making olaparib. Every new cure starts with curiosity and olaparib started with Professor Sir Stephen Jackson’s curiosity about DNA repair. Thanks to Curestarters we were able to support his initial discovery research which lead to incredible breakthroughs and ultimately the development of olaparib.
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