Immuno-oncology (or immunotherapy) and precision medicine are the newest developments in the treatment of advanced cancer. Immuno-oncology helps to restore the body’s immune system and improves outcomes when administered alone or in combination with chemotherapy.
VEGF Treatments for Advanced Ovarian Camcer
- Bevacizumab (Avastin)
PARP Inhibitors for Advanced Ovarian Cancer
- Olaparib (Lynparza)
- Rucaparib (Rubraca)
- Niraparib (Zejula)
Treatment that targets mutations with BRCA1 and BRCA2
- Olaparib (Lynparza)
- Rucaparib (Rubraca)
Treatments that target BRCA mutations:
- Olaparib and rucaparib can be used to treat advanced ovarian cancer that has come back after treatment, and then shrank in response to chemotherapy containing Cisplatin or Carboplatin.
- Olaparib and rucaparib can help extend the time before the cancer comes back or starts growing again.
- Niraparib (Zejula) may be used in different situations to treat ovarian cancer.
In women with or without a BRCA gene mutation:
- Niraparib might be used as maintenance treatment for ovarian cancer, where the cancer has shrunk with chemotherapy containing cisplatin or carboplatin
In women with a BRCA mutation:
- Niraparib might be used to treat advanced ovarian cancer after several chemotherapy drugs have been tried. In women without a BRCA mutation but whose tumor has a high genomic instability score (a test measuring the amount of abnormal genes in cancer cells):
- Niraparib might be used to treat advanced ovarian cancer after several chemotherapy drugs have been tried and if the cancer started growing 6 months or more after the last chemo was given hese drugs have been shown to help shrink or slow the growth of some advanced ovarian cancers for a time. So far, though, it’s not clear if they can help women live longer.
Treatments that target cells with NTRK gene changes
- Larotrectinib (Vitrakvi)
- Entrectinib (Rozlytrek)
In an attempt to improve the chance of cure, immunotherapies are being tested alone or in combination with chemotherapy in clinical trials.