A

Abiraterone: An anti-cancer medicine. Abiraterone, when given in combination with LYNPARZA and prednisone or prednisolone, can be used to treat certain patients with BRCA-mutated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Active treatment: The period when a person is having surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or other treatment to slow, stop, or eliminate the cancer.

Adjuvant therapy: A therapy given after primary treatment (for example, targeted therapy).

ATM (Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated): The ATM gene provides instructions for making a protein that helps control the rate at which cells (including cancer cells) grow and divide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn more about some of the most frequently asked questions about LYNPARZA and your particular type of cancer.

View FAQs

B

Bevacizumab: An anti-cancer medicine. When given in combination with LYNPARZA, it can be used to treat certain adults with HRD-positive advanced ovarian cancer.

Biomarker: A biological molecule that can provide information about your cancer. Biomarker testing can also be used to check for certain changes in a gene or chromosome that may increase a person’s risk of developing cancer or other diseases.

Biomarker testing: Using samples of your tumor, blood, or another bodily fluid, biomarker testing checks for certain changes in genes or other molecules that may be a sign of a disease or condition, such as cancer. Biomarker testing can provide information about your risk of developing cancer or other diseases, and could help you and your doctor choose your cancer treatment. Genetic testing and genomic testing are 2 types of biomarker testing.

BRCA mutation: A change or alteration found in either the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. A BRCA mutation can be inherited (germline), which means it was passed down from a parent, or acquired (somatic), which means it was not passed down.

BRCA1 and BRCA2: Genes that normally help suppress cell growth. A person who inherits or acquires certain changes (mutations) in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes has an increased risk of getting breast, ovarian, prostate, and other types of cancer.

C

Castration resistant: A type of prostate cancer that no longer responds to a medical or surgical treatment that lowers testosterone.

Chemotherapy: A treatment option your doctor may recommend. It is the use of drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells in your body.

Combination therapy: Therapy that combines more than one method of treatment.

D

Disease progression: The growth or spread of cancer in the body.

F

First-line therapy: The beginning treatment given for a disease. It is often part of a standard set of procedures and treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.

G

Genetic mutation: Any change in the DNA sequence of a cell. A mutation may be inherited from a family member or acquired (developed during your lifetime).

Genetic testing: Is used to look for inherited mutations, including inherited BRCA mutations. It can help you and your doctor better understand your cancer and how it responds to different therapies.

Genomic testing: Is used to learn about the genome of your cancer cells and what makes them different from normal cells. A genomic test looks at your tumor's DNA and may help your doctor identify both inherited and acquired mutations. It can help you and your doctor better understand your cancer and how it responds to different therapies.

Germline test: This type of genetic test (also known as a blood or saliva test) uses your DNA as the sample. This test can identify inherited mutations but not acquired mutations.

H

Homologous recombination deficiency (HRD): Having HRD means that your cells have an impaired ability to repair breaks in the structure of your DNA. HRD can be caused by different kinds of mutations, such as mutations in the BRCA gene, or other altered forms of gene expression.

Homologous recombination repair (HRR) mutation: A mutation in a gene involved with repairing damage to DNA in cells. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are types of HRR genes.

Hormone receptor–positive (HR-positive): Describes cells that have receptors for hormones (such as estrogen and progesterone). These cells are hormone receptor positive and need hormones to help them grow.

Hormone therapy: Treatment that adds, blocks, or removes hormones.

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–negative (HER2-negative): Describes cells that have a small amount or none of a protein called HER2 on their surface. In normal cells, HER2 helps control cell growth. HER2-negative breast cancer can either be HR-positive or triple-negative.

I

Inherited mutation: A gene change that is incorporated into the DNA of every cell and is passed on from parents to children. This is also known as a germline mutation.

M

Maintenance therapy: A treatment used after you have responded to initial therapy. It can help keep cancer from growing or returning. LYNPARZA can be used in certain people as maintenance therapy.

Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC): mCRPC is a type of prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body and that no longer responds to a medical or surgical treatment that lowers testosterone.

Median: The middle number in a list of numbers arranged from lowest to highest.

Metastatic cancer: A type of cancer that has spread from where it started to a distant part of the body. The process in which cancer cells spread to other parts of the body is called metastasis.

N

Neoadjuvant therapy: A therapy that is given as a first step to shrink a tumor before the main treatment, which is usually surgery, is given or performed.

P

PARP (also called poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase): A protein that is involved in many functions in the cell, including repairing DNA damage.

PARP inhibitor (PARPi): LYNPARZA is a PARP inhibitor. It helps kill cancer cells by preventing PARP from repairing their DNA. A PARP inhibitor may also affect healthy cells.

Placebo: An inactive treatment that looks the same as, and is given the same way as, an active drug or treatment that is being tested.

Progression-free survival: A phrase used to describe time spent without cancer growing or returning.

R

Recurrent cancer: This is cancer that comes back after treatment where no evidence of cancer was detected. The process of coming back is called recurrence.

S

Surgery: Also called an operation. It’s a procedure that removes or repairs a part of the body or detects whether disease is present.

T

Targeted treatment: Targeted therapy is a type of cancer treatment that targets proteins that control how cancer cells grow, divide, and spread.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC): TNBC means that the tumor cells don’t contain any estrogen, progesterone, or large amounts of HER2 receptors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn more about some of the most frequently asked questions about LYNPARZA and your particular type of cancer.

View FAQs

WHAT IS LYNPARZA?

LYNPARZA is a prescription medicine used to treat adults who have:

ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer:
- that is advanced and has a certain type of inherited (germline) or acquired (somatic) abnormal BRCA gene. LYNPARZA is used as maintenance treatment after the cancer has responded to your first treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy
- in combination with another anti-cancer medicine called bevacizumab when your cancer is advanced and homologous recombination deficiency (HRD)-positive, which is identified by a certain type of abnormal BRCA gene or a positive laboratory tumor test for genomic instability. LYNPARZA is used as maintenance treatment after the cancer has responded to your first treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy
- that has come back and has a certain type of inherited or acquired abnormal BRCA gene. LYNPARZA is used as maintenance treatment after the cancer has responded to treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy

human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative breast cancer with a certain type of inherited abnormal BRCA gene:
- with a high risk of recurrence. LYNPARZA is given after surgery (treatment after surgery is called adjuvant therapy). You should have received chemotherapy medicines before or after surgery to remove the tumor
- 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 breast cancer, you should have either already received hormonal therapy or hormone therapy is not the right treatment for you

pancreatic cancer (adenocarcinoma) that has spread to other parts of the body and has a certain type of abnormal inherited BRCA gene. LYNPARZA is used as a maintenance treatment after your cancer has not progressed on at least 16 weeks of your first treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy

metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC):
- with a certain type of inherited or acquired abnormal homologous recombination repair (HRR) genes. LYNPARZA is used when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body and no longer responds to a medical or surgical treatment that lowers testosterone and has progressed after treatment with other anti-cancer medicines called enzalutamide or abiraterone
- with a certain type of abnormal inherited or acquired BRCA gene, and the cancer has spread to other parts of the body and no longer responds to a medical or surgical treatment that lowers testosterone. LYNPARZA is used in combination with another anti-cancer medicine, abiraterone, together with the steroid medicine prednisone or prednisolone

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

What is the most important information I should know about LYNPARZA?

LYNPARZA may cause serious side effects, including:
Bone marrow problems called Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) or Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Some people 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.

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 healthcare provider will do blood tests to check your blood cell counts:

WHAT IS LYNPARZA?

LYNPARZA is a prescription medicine used to treat adults who have:

ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer:
- that is advanced and has a certain type of inherited (germline) or acquired (somatic) abnormal BRCA gene. LYNPARZA is used as maintenance treatment after the cancer has responded to your first treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy
- in combination with another anti-cancer medicine called bevacizumab when your cancer is advanced and homologous recombination deficiency (HRD)-positive, which is identified by a certain type of abnormal BRCA gene or a positive laboratory tumor test for genomic instability. LYNPARZA is used as maintenance treatment after the cancer has responded to your first treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy
- that has come back and has a certain type of inherited or acquired abnormal BRCA gene. LYNPARZA is used as maintenance treatment after the cancer has responded to treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy

human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative breast cancer with a certain type of inherited abnormal BRCA gene:
- with a high risk of recurrence. LYNPARZA is given after surgery (treatment after surgery is called adjuvant therapy). You should have received chemotherapy medicines before or after surgery to remove the tumor
- 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 breast cancer, you should have either already received hormonal therapy or hormone therapy is not the right treatment for you

pancreatic cancer (adenocarcinoma) that has spread to other parts of the body and has a certain type of abnormal inherited BRCA gene. LYNPARZA is used as a maintenance treatment after your cancer has not progressed on at least 16 weeks of your first treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy

metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC):
- with a certain type of inherited or acquired abnormal homologous recombination repair (HRR) genes. LYNPARZA is used when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body and no longer responds to a medical or surgical treatment that lowers testosterone and has progressed after treatment with other anti-cancer medicines called enzalutamide or abiraterone
- with a certain type of abnormal inherited or acquired BRCA gene, and the cancer has spread to other parts of the body and no longer responds to a medical or surgical treatment that lowers testosterone. LYNPARZA is used in combination with another anti-cancer medicine, abiraterone, together with the steroid medicine prednisone or prednisolone

Your healthcare 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.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

What is the most important information I should know about LYNPARZA?

LYNPARZA may cause serious side effects, including:

Bone marrow problems called Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) or Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Some people 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.

Your healthcare provider will do blood tests to check your blood cell counts:

before treatment with LYNPARZA
every month during treatment with LYNPARZA
weekly if you have low blood cell counts that last a long time

Lung problems (pneumonitis). LYNPARZA can cause serious lung problems that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new or worsening symptoms of lung problems, including shortness of breath, fever, cough, or wheezing. Your healthcare provider may do a chest x-ray if you have any of these symptoms.

Blood clots (venous thromboembolism [VTE]). Some people may develop a blood clot in a deep vein, usually in the leg (venous thrombosis) or a clot in the lungs (pulmonary embolism [PE]), which may be severe or lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any symptoms such as pain or swelling in an extremity, shortness of breath, chest pain, breathing that is more rapid than normal (tachypnea), or heart beats faster than normal (tachycardia). Your healthcare provider will monitor you for these symptoms and may prescribe blood thinner medicine.

Liver problems, including Drug-Induced Liver Injury (DILI): People taking LYNPARZA may develop liver problems which may be severe and can lead to death. Your healthcare provider should do blood tests before and during your treatment with LYNPARZA. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you notice discomfort on the right side of your stomach-area (abdominal), dark or “tea-colored” urine, or yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes (jaundice).

Your healthcare provider may change your dose, temporarily stop, or permanently stop treatment with LYNPARZA if you get certain side effects.

Before taking LYNPARZA, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

have lung or breathing problems
have kidney problems
are pregnant, become pregnant, or plan to become pregnant. LYNPARZA can harm your unborn baby and may cause loss of pregnancy (miscarriage)
Females who are able to become pregnant:
- your healthcare provider may do a pregnancy test before you start treatment with LYNPARZA
- you should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with LYNPARZA and for 6 months after the last dose of LYNPARZA. Talk to your healthcare provider about birth control methods that may be right for you
- tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you might be pregnant following treatment with LYNPARZA
Males with female partners who are pregnant or able to become pregnant:
- you should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with LYNPARZA and for 3 months after the last dose of LYNPARZA
- do not donate sperm during treatment with LYNPARZA and for 3 months after your last dose
are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if LYNPARZA passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with LYNPARZA and for 1 month after receiving the last dose of LYNPARZA. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby during this time

Tell your healthcare 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?

Take LYNPARZA tablets exactly as your healthcare provider tells you
Your healthcare provider will decide how long you stay on treatment
Do not change your dose or stop taking LYNPARZA unless your healthcare provider tells you to
Take LYNPARZA by mouth 2 times a day with or without food
Each dose should be taken about 12 hours apart
Swallow LYNPARZA tablets whole. Do not chew, crush, dissolve, or divide the tablets
If you are taking LYNPARZA for early breast cancer and you have hormone receptor-positive disease, you should continue to take hormonal therapy during your treatment with LYNPARZA
If you are taking LYNPARZA for prostate cancer and you are receiving gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analog therapy, you should continue with this treatment during your treatment with LYNPARZA unless you have had a surgery to remove both of your testicles (surgical castration) to lower the amount of testosterone in your body
If you miss a dose of LYNPARZA, take your next dose at your usual scheduled time. Do not take an extra dose to make up for a missed dose
If you take too much LYNPARZA, call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away

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 "What is the most important information I should know about LYNPARZA?").

Nausea or vomiting is common during treatment with LYNPARZA. Tell your healthcare provider if you get nausea or vomiting. Your healthcare provider may prescribe medicines to treat these symptoms.

The most common side effects of LYNPARZA when used alone are:

tiredness or weakness
low red blood cell counts
diarrhea
loss of appetite
headache
changes in the way food tastes
cough
low white blood cell counts
shortness of breath
dizziness
indigestion or heartburn
low platelet counts

The most common side effects of LYNPARZA when used in combination with bevacizumab are:

tiredness or weakness
low red blood cell counts
diarrhea
low white blood cell counts
urinary tract infection
headache

The most common side effects of LYNPARZA when used in combination with abiraterone and prednisone or prednisolone are:

low red blood cell counts
tiredness or weakness
diarrhea
loss of appetite
low white blood cell counts
dizziness
stomach-area (abdominal) pain

These are not all the possible side effects of LYNPARZA. Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects related to AstraZeneca products(Opens in new window).

Please see complete Prescribing Information, including Medication Guide.

WHAT IS LYNPARZA?

LYNPARZA is a prescription medicine used to treat adults who have:

ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer:
- that is advanced and has a certain type of inherited (germline) or acquired (somatic) abnormal BRCA gene. LYNPARZA is used as maintenance treatment after the cancer has responded to your first treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy
- in combination with another anti-cancer medicine called bevacizumab when your cancer is advanced and homologous recombination deficiency (HRD)-positive, which is identified by a certain type of abnormal BRCA gene or a positive laboratory tumor test for genomic instability. LYNPARZA is used as maintenance treatment after the cancer has responded to your first treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy
- that has come back and has a certain type of inherited or acquired abnormal BRCA gene. LYNPARZA is used as maintenance treatment after the cancer has responded to treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy

human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative breast cancer with a certain type of inherited abnormal BRCA gene:
- with a high risk of recurrence. LYNPARZA is given after surgery (treatment after surgery is called adjuvant therapy). You should have received chemotherapy medicines before or after surgery to remove the tumor
- 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 breast cancer, you should have either already received hormonal therapy or hormone therapy is not the right treatment for you

pancreatic cancer (adenocarcinoma) that has spread to other parts of the body and has a certain type of abnormal inherited BRCA gene. LYNPARZA is used as a maintenance treatment after your cancer has not progressed on at least 16 weeks of your first treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy

metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC):
- with a certain type of inherited or acquired abnormal homologous recombination repair (HRR) genes. LYNPARZA is used when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body and no longer responds to a medical or surgical treatment that lowers testosterone and has progressed after treatment with other anti-cancer medicines called enzalutamide or abiraterone
- with a certain type of abnormal inherited or acquired BRCA gene, and the cancer has spread to other parts of the body and no longer responds to a medical or surgical treatment that lowers testosterone. LYNPARZA is used in combination with another anti-cancer medicine, abiraterone, together with the steroid medicine prednisone or prednisolone

Your healthcare 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.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

What is the most important information I should know about LYNPARZA?

LYNPARZA may cause serious side effects, including:

Bone marrow problems called Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) or Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Some people 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.

Your healthcare provider will do blood tests to check your blood cell counts:

before treatment with LYNPARZA
every month during treatment with LYNPARZA
weekly if you have low blood cell counts that last a long time

Your healthcare provider may change your dose, temporarily stop, or permanently stop treatment with LYNPARZA if you get certain side effects.

Before taking LYNPARZA, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

have lung or breathing problems
have kidney problems
are pregnant, become pregnant, or plan to become pregnant. LYNPARZA can harm your unborn baby and may cause loss of pregnancy (miscarriage)
Females who are able to become pregnant:
- your healthcare provider may do a pregnancy test before you start treatment with LYNPARZA
- you should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with LYNPARZA and for 6 months after the last dose of LYNPARZA. Talk to your healthcare provider about birth control methods that may be right for you
- tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you might be pregnant following treatment with LYNPARZA
Males with female partners who are pregnant or able to become pregnant:
- you should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with LYNPARZA and for 3 months after the last dose of LYNPARZA
- do not donate sperm during treatment with LYNPARZA and for 3 months after your last dose
are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if LYNPARZA passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with LYNPARZA and for 1 month after receiving the last dose of LYNPARZA. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby during this time

How should I take LYNPARZA?

Take LYNPARZA tablets exactly as your healthcare provider tells you
Your healthcare provider will decide how long you stay on treatment
Do not change your dose or stop taking LYNPARZA unless your healthcare provider tells you to
Take LYNPARZA by mouth 2 times a day with or without food
Each dose should be taken about 12 hours apart
Swallow LYNPARZA tablets whole. Do not chew, crush, dissolve, or divide the tablets
If you are taking LYNPARZA for early breast cancer and you have hormone receptor-positive disease, you should continue to take hormonal therapy during your treatment with LYNPARZA
If you are taking LYNPARZA for prostate cancer and you are receiving gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analog therapy, you should continue with this treatment during your treatment with LYNPARZA unless you have had a surgery to remove both of your testicles (surgical castration) to lower the amount of testosterone in your body
If you miss a dose of LYNPARZA, take your next dose at your usual scheduled time. Do not take an extra dose to make up for a missed dose
If you take too much LYNPARZA, call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away

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 "What is the most important information I should know about LYNPARZA?").

Nausea or vomiting is common during treatment with LYNPARZA. Tell your healthcare provider if you get nausea or vomiting. Your healthcare provider may prescribe medicines to treat these symptoms.

The most common side effects of LYNPARZA when used alone are:

tiredness or weakness
low red blood cell counts
diarrhea
loss of appetite
headache
changes in the way food tastes
cough
low white blood cell counts
shortness of breath
dizziness
indigestion or heartburn
low platelet counts

The most common side effects of LYNPARZA when used in combination with bevacizumab are:

tiredness or weakness
low red blood cell counts
diarrhea
low white blood cell counts
urinary tract infection
headache

The most common side effects of LYNPARZA when used in combination with abiraterone and prednisone or prednisolone are:

low red blood cell counts
tiredness or weakness
diarrhea
loss of appetite
low white blood cell counts
dizziness
stomach-area (abdominal) pain

Please see complete Prescribing Information, including Medication Guide.