There are a few new drugs available to treat ovarian cancer. If you have had a diagnosis of ovarian cancer and would like more information about the following treatments, please contact our Support Line at 020 7923 5475 or speak to your treatment team.
Niraparib (Zejula®)
England
Women who have recurrent ovarian cancer can access niraparib (Zejula®). This is currently available through the Cancer Drugs Fund which allows drugs up to two years to demonstrate their benefit before a decision is taken by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on their long-term funding. Women with a BRCA mutation can only access niraparib (Zejula®) as part of second line treatment on the basis that olaparib (Lynparza®) is available for this group for third line treatment onwards.
Scotland
Women with recurrent ovarian cancer who do not have a BRCA mutation can access niraparib (Zejula®). It is not available to women with a BRCA mutation on the basis that they can access olaparib (Lynparza®).
Wales
Women in Wales who have recurrent ovarian cancer can access niraparib (Zejula®). This is currently available through the New Treatment Fund which works on a similar basis to the Cancer Drugs Fund in England.
Northern Ireland
Women in Northern Ireland who have recurrent ovarian cancer can access niraparib (Zejula®) on the same basis as the Cancer Drugs Fund in England.
Bevacizumab (Avastin®)
England
It is approved for use under the Cancer Drugs Fund for women with advanced ovarian cancer as part of first-line treatment.
Scotland
In Scotland it is approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium for use in first-line treatment of advanced disease or in platinum-resistant (where platinum based chemotherapy has stopped working) recurrent disease.
Wales
It is not available in Wales. This is because it was approved under the old Cancer Drugs Fund and while it continues to be made available in England, it does not meet the criteria for inclusion under the New Treatment Fund in Wales.
Northern Ireland
It is not available in Northern Ireland.
Olaparib (Lynparza®)
England
Olaparib is currently available to women with a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene as part of third line treatment onwards. NICE is currently reviewing whether to continue to fund olaparib for this group.
Scotland
Women in Scotland with recurrent ovarian cancer can access olaparib (Lynparza®) if they have a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene.
Wales
Olaparib (Lynparza®) is available to women with a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene as part of third line treatment onwards. NICE is currently reviewing whether to continue to fund olaparib for this group.
Northern Ireland
Women with a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene can access olaparib as part of third line treatment onwards. NICE is currently reviewing whether to continue to fund olaparib for this group