LYNPARZA is used to treat adults who have an inherited BRCA mutation* (also known as gBRCA or germline BRCA) and HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer that has been treated with chemotherapy, and if HR-positive, treated with hormonal therapy.
In the sections below, we’ll cover what the second and third bullets mean and how they can impact your cancer treatment.
When you and your doctor are deciding on which treatment is best for your metastatic breast cancer, they may look at your tumor receptor status. This is because receptor status can help determine whether or not your cancer will respond to a treatment. There are 3 main receptors:
Your cancer will test either negative or positive for these 3 receptors. When cancer is PR-positive, ER-positive, or both, it’s considered HR-positive. Some cancer treatments are developed for patients with a specific receptor status.
To see if you may be eligible for LYNPARZA, your doctor will look at your tumor receptor status.
You learn all you can about your metastatic breast cancer, but do you know your BRCA status? BRCA mutations are changes in your genes that can increase your risk for developing certain types of cancer. Sometimes you’ll see it called a “gBRCA mutation” elsewhere on this site.
Germline is another way to say inherited. It means that the BRCA mutation came from one of your parents and can be passed down to your children.
More than half (53%) of breast cancer cases with BRCA mutations are HR-positive, HER2-negative.
Ask your doctor about BRCA testing to see if LYNPARZA is right for you.
In a study that tested LYNPARZA in patients who were treated with chemotherapy, 50% of the patients were HR-positive and HER2-negative. This means that their cancer contained either progesterone or estrogen receptors, or both, but did not contain HER2 receptors.
LYNPARZA can be used to help shrink or slow the growth of metastatic breast cancer in patients who are HR-positive and HER2-negative.
LYNPARZA is a prescription medicine used to treat adults who have a certain type of abnormal inherited BRCA gene, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic). You should have received chemotherapy medicines, either before or after your cancer has spread. If you have hormone receptor (HR)-positive disease, you should have been treated with hormonal therapy. Your health care provider will perform a test to make sure that LYNPARZA is right for you.
It is not known if LYNPARZA is safe and effective in children.
LYNPARZA may cause serious side effects, including:
Bone marrow problems called Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) or Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Some people who have breast cancer and who have received previous treatment with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or certain other medicines for their cancer have developed MDS or AML during treatment with LYNPARZA. MDS or AML may lead to death. If you develop MDS or AML, your health care provider will stop treatment with LYNPARZA.
Symptoms of low blood cell counts are common during treatment with LYNPARZA, but can be a sign of serious bone marrow problems, including MDS or AML. Symptoms may include: weakness, weight loss, fever, frequent infections, blood in urine or stool, shortness of breath, feeling very tired, bruising or bleeding more easily.
Your health care provider will do blood tests to check your blood cell counts:
Lung problems (pneumonitis). Tell your health care provider if you have any new or worsening symptoms of lung problems, including shortness of breath, fever, cough, or wheezing. Your health care provider may do a chest x-ray if you have any of these symptoms. Your health care provider may temporarily or completely stop treatment if you develop pneumonitis. Pneumonitis may lead to death.
Before taking LYNPARZA, tell your health care provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
Tell your health care provider right away if you become pregnant.
Tell your health care provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Taking LYNPARZA and certain other medicines may affect how LYNPARZA works and may cause side effects.
How should I take LYNPARZA?
What should I avoid while taking LYNPARZA?
Avoid grapefruit, grapefruit juice, Seville oranges, and Seville orange juice during treatment with LYNPARZA since they may increase the level of LYNPARZA in your blood.
LYNPARZA may cause serious side effects (see above). The most common side effects of LYNPARZA are:
These are not all the possible side effects of LYNPARZA. Call your health care provider for medical advice about side effects.
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