PARP inhibitors versus surgery

Hi

i am stage 4b, diagnosed last February. I had chemo and surgery then started on parp inhibitors, mines Olaparib. I’ve been struggling with the symptoms of them quite badly and now have a rising ca125 so awaiting a scan so I’m not sure there’s a definite with any of this. Everyone’s cancer seems to respond differently but I’m sure I was told that chemo and surgery gave the best outcome. If my scan shows my cancer is reoccurring it means they haven’t kept it at bay long for me, only starting on them in September and ca125 started rising in December, it feels like a lottery:(

Hi m 1234

So I have had everything, chemo,  ultra radical debulking surgery, bowel resection stoma, and naraparib,

In my experience I responded well to chemo,

Surgery worked well in my favour, except for stoma

Naraparib doesnt agree with everyone, I had a very bad time with it, was hospitalised a few times cos it affected my blood badly. And eventually we agreed to stop the treatment.

I'm now currently starting palliative chemo for recurrence hoping the chemo shrinks the tumors, I was assessed for more surgery but it was agreed that we would bypass surgery for now cos of the stoma 3 hernias and 4 tumors.

I'm giving you insight to my journey so you can view all options

Hope this helps and doesn't frighten you, this seriously wasn't my intention I wanted to answer your question honestly

Take care

Pam

Hi Diney, thanks so much, this is all really helpful and I’m grateful for you sharing your story. I’m so sorry for the journey you’ve had so far and keeping fingers crossed that your cancer hasn’t recurred.

M x

Hi Pam,

Thanks so much for sharing this and I’m so sorry for what you’ve been through. I didn’t realise there were different types of PARP inhibitors and didn’t really understand about any side effects so this thread has been very useful. Good luck with the chemo. 

M x

Hi Disney I had 3/4 OC. Diagnosed four years ago had chemo and full debuting surgery cancer all gone, unfortunately beginning of the year it has come back in the lymph nodes & bed of where the spleen was l Have responded well to chemo again had a choice of more surgery or to go  on Olaparib a parp I have decided to have the parp the list of side effects are terrible but I am on day 4 and so far no side effects other than a bit tired I hope your mother all the best

Hi, I was diagnosed stage 3c/4 last June. Unfortunately my cancer was inoperable (they did try) I had six rounds of chemo and have been taking Niraparib now for two months. So far so good, minimal side effects the main one being insomnia, but overall feeling much better in myself. Everyone is different but my experience has been positive so far

Hi. I was diagnosed with stage 4b ovarian cancer in June 2022, having had no symptoms apart from mild, but continual stomach ache for a couple of weeks. It took three trips to the GP before bloods were checked. Had debulking surgery in July and started six rounds of chemotherapy six weeks after the op.

I have been on Olaporib for nine weeks now. I am finding it manageable most days. The main side effects for me at the moment are stomach discomfort and bone pain, particularly when I first wake up in the morning. My CA125 level is 11, which I am told is in the acceptable range and my energy levels are  good most days, so onward and upward. 

Hi

So sorry I didn’t realise I hadn’t replied to your message though not sure it was meant for me coz it’s not my mother it’s me that has the OC.Mind  I’m finding this site quite hard to navigate, lol.

That’s great you had such a long clear spell. I finished with surgery and chemo end of July last year, started Olaparib ln September. I’ve struggled on it tbh but was hoping to have the dosage reduced but my ca125 has been rising since January and so I’m seeing oncologist Thursday for results of my latest scan. Latest bloods my ca125 is 105

Hi. I am very sorry things aren’t going so well for you I hope when you see your oncologist she has some positive suggestions,  I hadn’t heard of anybody else on Olaparib but was told the results were very good but a ca125 of 105 is quite high I would have thought I have been on it for a week now and all seems ok   All the best for Thursday let us know how you get on xx

Hello Sporty,

You are the ame stage as me. I am still trying to get started ins treatment -chemo/surgery/chemo. It has been a very inefficient process so far but I wm optimistic tomorrow will finally bring some action.

Motiva.