Serious Side Effects Of Lynparza
Lynparza may cause serious side effects. The list below may not include all possible serious side effects of the drug. They can vary depending on which condition the drug is being used to treat. For more information, you can refer to Lynparzas prescribing information.
If you develop serious side effects while taking Lynparza, call your doctor right away. If the side effects seem life threatening or you think youre having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.
Serious side effects that have been reported with Lynparza and their symptoms include:
- High blood pressure, which usually doesnt cause symptoms. Very high blood pressure may cause:
Lynparza may cause several side effects. Here are some frequently asked questions about the drugs side effects and their answers.
Managing Ongoing Hair Thinning
If youre facing ongoing treatment, or your hair has not recovered from treatment, it may make sense to see a dermatologist. Some cancer centers have specialists called oncodermatologists who focus on treatment-related changes to the hair, nails, and skin. Even if your hospital does not have an oncodermatologist, most dermatology specialists will understand some of these issues. Ask your oncologist for a referral to a dermatologist who has experience working with hair loss related to cancer treatment. Share the dermatologists recommendations with your doctor to make sure they are safe for you.
How Do I Store And/or Throw Out Lynparza
- Store at room temperature in a dry place. Do not store in a bathroom.
- Store in original container.
- Keep all drugs in a safe place. Keep all drugs out of the reach of children and pets.
- Throw away unused or expired drugs. Do not flush down a toilet or pour down a drain unless you are told to do so. Check with your pharmacist if you have questions about the best way to throw out drugs. There may be drug take-back programs in your area.
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Can Lynparza Be Used For Both Men And Women With Breast Cancer
Yes, Lynparza can be used for both females and males with breast cancer.*
In fact, Lynparza can be used in either men or women with metastatic breast cancer . Its prescribed for adults with metastatic breast cancer that has all of the following characteristics:
- BRCA-positive.BRCA-positive cancer has a mutation or is thought to have a mutation in the BRCA gene. These mutations are passed down in families, and theyre involved in cancer growth and spread.
- HER2-negative.HER2-negative cancer has normal levels of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 .
- Prior treatment with chemotherapy. The cancer has been treated in the past with chemotherapy . In these cases, chemotherapy was used to keep the cancer from coming back after treatment or to treat metastatic cancer.
- Prior treatment with hormone therapy. The cancer has been treated in the past with endocrine therapy. However, this would only be done if hormone therapy was an appropriate treatment, and if the cancer is considered hormone receptor-positive .
* Sex and gender exist on spectrums. Use of the terms male and female in this article refers to sex assigned at birth.
Effectiveness For Ovarian Cancer
The effectiveness of Lynparza in treating ovarian cancer has been found in several clinical studies.
One clinical study looked at people with advanced cancer in their ovaries, fallopian tubes, or peritoneum that was BRCA-positive. These people had taken certain chemotherapy drugs in the past.
In the study, the people were given either Lynparza or a placebo . After more than 3 years of treatment, people taking Lynparza had a 70% lower risk of their cancer getting worse or of dying than did people taking the placebo.
Another clinical study looked at people with advanced cancer in their ovaries, fallopian tubes, or peritoneum that was BRCA-positive. These peoples cancer had come back after past treatments. The people were given either Lynparza or a placebo.
Half of the people who took Lynparza went at least 19.1 months without their cancer getting worse. In comparison, half of the people who took the placebo went at least 5.5 months without their cancer getting worse.
A third study looked at people whose ovarian cancer had been treated in the past by at least three chemotherapy drugs. All of the people in the study took Lynparza. There werent any people who took either a placebo or alternative drug. In this study, 34% of the people had their cancer go away, either completely or partly. Half of the people maintained this response for about 8 months.
For information about these other approved uses, see the following sections:
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What To Ask Your Doctor
Like most medications, Lynparza can cause side effects. Many of these are mild and may go away on their own. But the drug can also cause some serious side effects in rare cases.
Talk with your doctor if youre interested in learning more about Lynparza. Ask questions to help you become familiar with this medication and its side effects. Some examples to help get you started are:
- If I have side effects while taking Lynparza, is there a lower dose I can try instead?
- Will I take Lynparza with other medications? If so, will this raise my risk of side effects?
- Am I at higher risk of side effects with Lynparza based on my other medical conditions?
If you have breast cancer, you can find support and advice in our Bezzy breast cancer community. You can also consider signing up for Healthlines online newsletter to get information on treatments and stories from others living with this condition.
Is Weight Gain A Side Effect Of Lynparza
No, weight gain isnt a known side effect of Lynparza.
Some people had edema in studies. Edema is swelling due to excess fluid in the body. This side effect can cause minor, temporary weight gain. This weight gain should go away once edema is treated or goes away.
Talk with your doctor if you have questions or concerns about weight gain and your treatment plan.
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Is Lynparza Used For Other Conditions
In addition to treating prostate cancer, Lynparza is also used to treat certain other conditions in adults. Lynparza treats the following cancers by blocking the action of specific enzymes . Blocking these enzymes damages cancer cells, causing them to die.
Lynparza for ovarian cancer
Lynparza is used to treat advanced ovarian cancer that is BRCA-positive* in adults when the cancer:
- has been treated with three or more chemotherapy drugs , or
- is also homologous recombination deficiency-positive
HRD-positive refers to a specific kind of cancer caused by an abnormal BRCA gene. For this purpose, Lynparza is used as ongoing treatment along with bevacizumab after your cancer has improved following treatment with first-line chemotherapy made from platinum.
Its also used as maintenance therapy for the following:
- Cancer thats improved following treatment with first-line chemotherapy made from platinum.
- Recurrent ovarian cancer that has completely or partially responded to chemotherapy made from platinum.
Before prescribing Lynparza, your doctor will order a test to determine if your ovarian cancer has an abnormal BRCA gene that may respond to Lynparza.
* This means the cancer has an abnormal change in the BRCA gene.
Lynparza for breast cancer
Lynparza is used in adults to treat breast cancer with the following characteristics:
- its metastatic, and
- its BRCA-positive , and
- it has been treated with chemotherapy in the past
Lynparza for pancreatic cancer
Does Lynparza Cause Hair Loss
Hair loss is possible while taking Lynparza. This side effect wasnt seen in the drugs initial clinical trials. However, it was seen in a clinical study that compared the side effects of Lynparza and chemotherapy.
Hair loss occurred in a small percentage of people taking Lynparza for breast cancer. Its important to note that more people had hair loss while undergoing chemotherapy than while taking Lynparza.
If youre concerned about hair loss during your Lynparza treatment, talk with your doctor. They may recommend increasing your intake of a vitamin called biotin. You could also try to avoid or minimize factors that may worsen hair loss. These can include pulling your hair back into tight styles, using hair dye, or getting perms. Excessive stress may also cause hair loss, so you can try to avoid severe tension.
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Effectiveness For Breast Cancer
The effectiveness of Lynparza in treating breast cancer with all of the characteristics described above was tested in a clinical study. In this study, people took either Lynparza tablets or a certain chemotherapy drug that was chosen by their doctor.
Over the course of 1 year, people taking Lynparza had a 42% lower risk of their cancer getting worse than did people taking chemotherapy. Half of the people taking Lynparza went at least 7 months without their cancer getting worse. In comparison, half of the people taking chemotherapy went at least 4.2 months without their cancer getting worse.
The Food and Drug Administration approves prescription drugs such as Lynparza to treat certain conditions. In addition to being FDA-approved to treat certain types of ovarian cancer, Lynparza is approved to treat prostate cancer, breast cancer and pancreatic cancer.
For information about these other approved uses, see the following sections:
Can I Take Lynparza For Breast Cancer If Ive Already Had A Mastectomy
Yes, some people may need treatment with Lynparza after theyve had a mastectomy. With a mastectomy, surgery is done to remove breast tissue.
If youre planning on having a mastectomy, or if youve already had this surgery, talk with your doctor about breast cancer treatment options. They can recommend therapies to help lower the risk of your cancer coming back.
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How Long Does It Take To Work
Xtandi is used to treat certain types of prostate cancer that no longer improves with typical medications or surgical treatments that work by lowering testosterone levels.
Xtandi works by helping to stop cancer cells from growing. How quickly it works depends on how progressed your cancer is. For this reason, its hard to say when the drug may start to work for you.
If you have questions about how long Xtandi will take to work for you, talk with your doctor.
Does Lynparza Cause Any Long
Its possible for Lynparza to cause long-term side effects. These may include myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia . These are types of cancer that affect your blood cells or bone marrow. These side effects can occur after youve taken Lynparza for years and can last for a long time.
Also, taking Lynparza can increase the risk of blood clots. If you develop a blood clot, your doctor may prescribe a blood thinner. This type of medication is used to treat clots and may also be prescribed long term to help prevent clots in the future.
To learn more about MDS, AML, and blood clots with Lynparza, see Side effects explained below. If you have more questions about Lynparza and long-term side effects, talk with your doctor.
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How Does Olaparib Work
Olaparib is a targeted drug called a PARP inhibitor . PARP is a protein that helps damaged cells to repair themselves. Olaparib stops PARP working.
Some cancer cells rely on PARP to keep their DNA healthy. This includes cancer cells with a change in the BRCA genes. So, when olaparib stops PARP from repairing DNA damage, the cancer cells die.
How Often Do You Have Olaparib
You usually take them twice a day, 12 hours apart. You swallow them whole with or without food.
You usually carry on taking olaparib for as long as it is helping and the side effects arent too bad.
For certain types of cancer such as ovarian cancer, you may stop taking olaparib after 2 years if there are no signs of cancer on any scan .
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What Other Drugs Will Affect Lynparza
Sometimes it is not safe to use certain medications at the same time. Some drugs can affect your blood levels of other drugs you take, which may increase side effects or make the medications less effective.
Other drugs may interact with olaparib, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.
How Parp Inhibitors Work
Targeted therapies block the growth and spread of cancer.
PARP stands for poly-ADP ribose polymerase. Its a protein that helps cells repair themselves if they become damaged. PARP inhibitors stop the PARP from repairing cancer cells.
Two inherited altered genes that increase the risk of breast cancer developing are called BRCA1 and BRCA2. Cancer cells with faulty BRCA genes are less able to repair themselves if they become damaged. PARP inhibitors can also help block the cancer cells from repairing themselves and cause them to become too damaged to survive.
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If You Are Taking Oral Chemotherapy
- Wash your hands before and after touching your medication.
- Caregivers can pour pills into a small cup and hand that to the patient, or they can wear gloves when handling the medication.
- Never break, crush, chew or open your tablets or capsules unless otherwise instructed.
- Store your medication in a place that is away from water sources, direct sunlight and excessive heat, cold and humidity. Be sure children and pets cannot reach your pills. Keep your pills in a separate place from other medicines.
- Read the medication package and any attached paperwork for additional storage requirements specific to your medication, such as refrigeration.
Birth Control For Males Using Lynparza
If youre a male who has a female sexual partner whos able to become pregnant, you should use effective birth control while youre taking Lynparza. You should continue to use birth control for least 3 months after your last dose of the drug.
You should also avoid donating sperm while youre taking Lynparza. And you should continue to avoid donating sperm for at least 3 months after your last dose of the drug.
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About Breast Cancer That Lynparza Is Approved To Treat
Lynparza is approved to treat metastatic breast cancer. This type of breast cancer has spread from the breast to other parts of the body. Lynparza tablets are prescribed for adults with metastatic breast cancer that has all of the following characteristics:
- BRCA-positive.BRCA-positive cancer has a mutation or is thought to have a mutation in the BRCA gene. These mutations are passed down in families, and theyre involved in cancer growth and spread.
- HER2-negative.HER2-negative cancer has normal levels of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 .
- Prior treatment with chemotherapy. The cancer has been treated in the past with chemotherapy . In these cases, chemotherapy was used to keep the cancer from coming back after treatment or to treat metastatic cancer.
- Prior treatment with hormone therapy. The cancer has been treated in the past with endocrine therapy. However, this would only be done if hormone therapy was an appropriate treatment, and if the cancer is considered hormone receptor-positive .
What Are The Advantages Of Olaparib
Life expectancy: The study suggests that olaparib can help patients to live longer if they haven’t yet had chemotherapy for their metastatic breast cancer: People who received olaparib passed away after about 23 months on average . People who received the standard treatment passed away after about 15 months on average .
No such difference in life expectancy was found in people who had already had chemotherapy before taking part in the study. They passed away after about 18 months on average , regardless of which treatment they had during the study.
Severe side effects and treatment stopped due to side effects: Early results suggest that olaparib has an advantage here. In the olaparib group, about 38 out of 100 people had severe side effects. About 5 out of 100 people stopped the treatment due to side effects. In the group that had standard treatment, about 50 out of 100 people had severe side effects and about 8 out of 100 people stopped the treatment because of side effects. The severe side effects included severe vascular disease and severe neutropenia, where the body doesn’t have enough immune system cells.
Other possible side effects of the treatment include:
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Targeted Therapy For Her2
In about 15% to 20% of breast cancers, the cancer cells make too much of a growth-promoting protein known as HER2 . These cancers, known as HER2-positive breastcancers, tend to grow and spread more aggressively than HER2-negative breast cancers. Different types of drugs have been developed that target the HER2 protein.
Is Lynparza Being Studied In Clinical Trials For Other Uses
Yes, it is. Lynparza is currently approved to treat certain types of prostate, pancreatic, breast, and ovarian cancer. But its also being studied for other uses in several clinical trials. Current studies are testing Lynparzas effectiveness in treating:
- other conditions
You can find lists of ongoing clinical trials at ClinicalTrials.gov. Some of these trials are even recruiting participants.
If youd like to know more about participating in clinical trials of Lynparza, talk with your doctor.
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Food And Medicines To Avoid When Having Parp Inhibitors
The most widely used PARP inhibitor is olaparib. Its recommended that anyone on olaparib avoids grapefruit juice and bitter oranges as these can affect how the drug works.
A number of drugs should not be taken with PARP inhibitors, so its important to tell your treatment team about any prescribed or over-the-counter medicines you are taking.
Many people consider taking herbal medicines or supplements while having treatment for breast cancer. Some PARP inhibitors must not be taken with anything containing St Johns wort.
Speak to your treatment team about any food, medicines or herbal supplements you may need to avoid.