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Anyone with BRCA 2 mutation taking Olaparib?
Pancreatic Cancer | Last Active: Oct 3 7:41pm | Replies (13)Comment receiving replies
I know of two individuals taking the PARP inhibitor Rubraca (Rucaparib) which is a biosimilar to Lynparza (Olaparib)-myself for a (g)BRCA2 and a friend for a (s)BRCA2. I am on this PARPi over 9.5 years and the friend was on it for 5 years. She went off it a few months ago because her metastatic disease was eradicated and no longer has a risk of recurrence. I may be finishing it in October at the 10 year mark as oncologists have considered me cured of metastatic disease. They left the choice up to me.
PARPi’s are known for suppressing bone marrow and reducing the output of RBC’s. It can also affect WBC’s and platelets. In some this can happen earlier in the course of treatment. It took six years before symptoms of anemia leading to extreme fatigue occurred. My RBC level dropped to 7.5 g/dL. The fatigue was considerable.It was handled by one dose reduction.
and seven week pause where the counts as well as eGFR and creatinine return to improved values. My RBC levels will slowly slide downward over six months and rather than another dose reduction, a six or seven week pause every six months is used to give the assault on the bone marrow a rest. That takes care of the anemia and fatigue.
I am monitored every six weeks with a CBC, chem profile and physical exam. I am the longest confirmed former pancreatic cancer patient on this PARPi and possibly the longest on any of the PARP’s currently being used.
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Thank you very much @stageivsurvivor
I wish you a long and healthy life ahead 🙂
Did either you or your friend take a chemo pill after infusions or did you go right to the PARP inhibitor?
My daughter is finishing her last chemo infusion and will start taking Lynparza. She has learned that the costs is $5,000 a month AFTER insurance. She is being enrolled in copay assistance which will last for 5 months. Is this a case of your money or your life, and then when one runs out of money, they just die? Is this how this works?
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stageivsurvivor, Was your cancer pancreatic cancer? Also, was it ductal cell pancreatic cancer or acinar cell pancreatic cancer? I'm presently in a clinical trial at the NIH in MD for use of Olaparib for my acinar cell pancreatic cancer. There was some fatique when I first started on the Olaparib about 6 wks. ago, but it has dissipated some now. My RBC and WBC were normal in the 2 blood tests I've had at the NIH so far. Creatinine was slightly out of limits, but increasing water intake per my NIH doc's instructions seems to have cleared that up. Anindita, it is my understanding that without having the BRCA 2 mutation Olaparib is ineffective. There are very good reasons for that but you'll have to do some research on the subject to understand it. I'm a retired airline mechanic and don't consider my qualified, or it being proper, for me to try to explain the way the drug works here. I was hanging on by my toenails to get the gist of it when my NIH docs explained it to me. I am wishing good luck and healing to your Dad.