Breakthrough for Ovarian Cancer Patients in the UK as Drug to Be Made Available Through NHS

There has been a major breakthrough for ovarian cancer patients in the UK as health officials have given the go ahead for a new drug to be made available through the National Health Service (NHS). According to The Guardian, experts changed their mind about drug olaparib, also known as Lynparza, after months of negotiations with the manufacturers regarding the cost. AstraZeneca, who manufactured the drug, said that it significantly increased the time it took for the disease to progress in medical trials. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said that it should be made available for women with the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations of ovarian cancer and have responded to a certain type of chemotherapy. The organisation said that it should be made “available to those with ovarian, fallopian tube and peritoneal cancer if they have been through three courses of platinum-based chemotherapy.” Ovarian cancer is the fourth most common cancer for women with over 300 women diagnosed in Ireland each year. Symptoms include: bloating; a swollen abdomen; indigestion and nausea; changes in bowel or bladder habits; and abnormal vaginal discharge or bleeding. For more information on the treatments available in Ireland for ovarian cancer patients, visit the HSE website here. You can also get more information and support services at the Irish Cancer Society website here.