NICE review olaparib and bevacizumab - your comments needed

[OvacomeSupport]

Good morning everyone,

NICE are undertaking a Cancer Drugs Fund guidance review of Olaparib in combination with bevacizumab (Avastin) for maintenance treatment of advanced ovarian, fallopian tube and peritoneal cancer after response to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy with bevacizumab. This treatment is currently available through the Cancer Drugs Fund, but the aim of the review is to decide whether or not this treatment can be recommended for routine use after data collection is complete.

The name of the NICE consultation is: Olaparib in combination with bevacizumab for maintenance treatment of advanced ovarian, fallopian tube and peritoneal cancer after response to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy with bevacizumab [Review of TA693] [ID4066]

We are preparing a submission to NICE for this review and we would really like to hear from you if you are currently receiving olaparib in combination with bevacizumab as part of your treatment plan for ovarian, fallopian tube or peritoneal cancer or if you have received this in the past. If this applies to you and you would like to share any comments about your experience of this treatment within our submission, we would love to hear from you. We will not use your name or any identifying details.

If you would like to share your comments and views for this submission, please contact me by sending us a private message through the chat function of the forum or by emailing at [e-mail].

We are also planning a focus group to give people the opportunity to share their experiences with us which will be held over Zoom on 3 November 2022 at 11am. If you would be interested in attending this, please do let me know and I will send you further details.

Thank you very much for your help.

Best wishes,

Cathryn

Ovacome Support

[MdmBovary]

Hi, i dont qualify as i am on maintenance treatment of bevacizumab only. Please contact me if a relevant clinical study takes place. Thanks for all you're doing g. Judi

[OvacomeSupport Partner My Ovacome Team in reply to MdmBovary]

Thank you very much Judi, that is much appreciated.

Best wishes,

Cathryn

Ovacome Support

[Emsymits]

Really wish they’d offer Olaparib after first recurrence. I’m not at that stage yet and pray I never will be but was frustrated when they said I was too long NED after first occurrence to qualify.

[OvacomeSupport Partner My Ovacome Team in reply to Emsymits]

Hello Emsymits,

Thank you very much for talking the time to respond to this message. Olaparib is currently available through the Cancer Drugs Fund for the maintenance treatment in patients with high grade epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal carcinoma who have BRCA gene changes and have had a recent first relapse of platinum sensitive disease and who are now in response following a second platinum based chemotherapy in certain circumstances. This would need to be started less than 8 weeks after the last dose of chemotherapy.

We have more information about olaparib and other PARP inhibitors in our targeted therapies booklet. I will leave a link to this here if you would like to take a look: ovacome.org.uk/targeted-the...

We would always encourage people to speak with their clinical team for information and advice about their own individual situation. If we can help with any further information, please do let me know. Alternatively, you can contact our Ovacome support service by calling 0800 008 7054, by emailing [e-mail] or by sending us an instant message through our website.

Best wishes,

Cathryn

[Emsymits in reply to OvacomeSupport]

Thanks so much for that. Being dim, just to clarify, when you say 'recent first relapse' do you mean they've had OC first time, been treated successfully with platinum based chemo then it's come back (ie it's the second incidence of OC) and they've been successfully treated again with platinum based chemo? Then there's the possibility of getting Olaparib then?

[Emsymits in reply to Emsymits]

...sorry and they're BRCA too.

[OvacomeSupport Partner My Ovacome Team in reply to Emsymits]

Hello Emsymits

Thank you for your comment. Yes, your understanding is correct, as you've outlined in your two replies. I hope this is helpful. Please do let us know if you need any further information.

Best wishes

Anna

Ovacome Support

[Emsymits in reply to OvacomeSupport]

Thank you! That’s made my day! The thought that finally it might be there if needed is fabulous 😍🎉

[SEckett]

Hi Ovacome

I am on the drug Olaparib on its own. I was taking it with Avastin. I’m really worried are they going to stop us taking this drug? I started this drug last December after my Chemotherapy finished.

Sheenagh

[OvacomeSupport Partner My Ovacome Team in reply to SEckett]

Dear Sheenagh,

Thank you very much for your message and I am sorry for the worry that this post has caused. I just wanted to message to explain that a review of a treatment that is currently available through the Cancer Drugs Fund does not mean that treatment will stop for those people who are currently receiving that treatment.

I hope that clarifies the situation, but please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any further questions.

Best wishes,

Cathryn

Ovacome Support

[win_56]

Whst about BRCA negative patients? Why isn't there an opportunity for them to have Avastin available? It just seems unfair that unless you are brca positive or have a mutation we get overlooked. I would like to see Avastin available for everyone whom has OC and but just the few

[SEckett in reply to win_56]

hi Win_56,

Before I got told my tumour was positive they were gonna give Avastin on it own. Then I got told I was hrd positive so that when they added the maintenance drug. So if I was negative I would of just had avastin

[win_56 in reply to SEckett]

I think this may be true for first line patients only. Ovacome admin can you please clarify? Thank you.

[OvacomeSupport Partner My Ovacome Team in reply to win_56]

Hello Win_56,

Thank you very much for your message. This post relates specifically to Avastin and olaparib in combination. This treatment combination is available when the cancer is associated with homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), including those with a BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 gene change.

However, Avastin itself is available in England in certain circumstances for people with stage 3 or stage 4 ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer regardless of whether they have a BRCA1 or 2 gene change or not, as a first line treatment. Cancer Research UK have some information about this and I will put a link to this here: cancerresearchuk.org/about-...

If you would like to read more about targeted therapies for ovarian cancer, we have a booklet and I will share a link to this here: ovacome.org.uk/targeted-the...

Please do let me know if I can help with any further information about Avastin. We would always encourage people to speak with their clinical team for individual advice and information about treatment options.

Best wishes,

Cathryn

[win_56 in reply to OvacomeSupport]

Thank you for confirming that and the link.

[Lovelocklo]

I’m currently on this combination of drugs and I’m on the Bev until February 2023 & the Olaparib until June 2024. As a combination they seem to work and atm I’m fine on this combination.

[OvacomeSupport Partner My Ovacome Team in reply to Lovelocklo]

Hello Lovelocklo

Thank you very much for sharing your experience, we really appreciate you taking the time to help inform our submission to NICE.

Best wishes

Anna

Ovacome Support