New cancer drug Olaparib now being rolled out on NHS

Medics have approved a "life-changing" cancer drug funded by Sun readers in a campaign launched over 20 years ago. The drug olaparib has since been rolled out on the NHS as an approved chemotherapy medicine for patients with breast and prostate cancers with certain gene mutations.

The "Raise a Ton with The Sun" campaign was launched in September 2000 with the backing of King Charles, Ronan Keating, Denise van Outen, Sir Ranulph Fiennes and other celebrities and by a £650,000 donation from readers of The Sun newspaper in 2001.

With the help of hundreds of readers who raised cash and donated it to the charity Breast Cancer Now, the drug will now change the lives of more than 800 cancer patients every year. Celebrity backers of the drug include stars such as Ian Wright, Isla Fisher, Lorraine Kelly, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Liz Hurley, Lisa Riley, Baby Spice Emma Bunton and model Caprice.

Dr Simon Vincent, research director at Breast Cancer Now, said: "Discovering new ways to treat cancer takes a huge amount of work over many years. Breakthroughs like this can only happen thanks to the generosity of our supporters, including The Sun readers who backed this research at its early stages. We're incredibly grateful."

Olaparib works by destroying PARP proteins that stop the cancer cells from healing themselves and making them unable to regenerate. It can be used alone as a maintenance treatment after one's cancer cells have responded to their first treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy.

Olaparib is currently being sold under the brand name Lynparza as an oral medication. Lynparza uses targeted therapy as it acts on specific types of cancer cells with less harm to normal cells.

The drug is especially crucial for people with a BRCA gene mutation, a mutation branded as the "Jolie gene". Though not a medically recognized term, "Angelina Jolie gene" is often used colloquially to refer to the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which are associated with an increased risk of certain cancers, particularly breast and ovarian cancer.

Angelina Jolie, a well-known actress and humanitarian, publicly shared her personal experience with carrying a BRCA1 gene mutation and her decision to undergo preventive surgeries, including a double mastectomy and removal of her ovaries, to reduce her risk of developing cancer. Her openness about her genetic status and preventive measures raised awareness about genetic testing and the importance of early detection and prevention of hereditary cancers.

Benefits of olaparib:

Targeted cancer treatment: Olaparib specifically targets cancer cells by inhibiting the PARP enzyme, which plays a role in repairing damaged DNA. By inhibiting PARP, olaparib prevents cancer cells from repairing their DNA, leading to their death.

Treatment for BRCA-mutated cancers: Olaparib has shown significant effectiveness in the treatment of cancers that have BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. These mutations impair the DNA repair mechanism, making cancer cells more vulnerable to the effects of olaparib. It has been approved for the treatment of ovarian, fallopian tubes, and primary peritoneal cancers with BRCA mutations.

Maintenance therapy: Olaparib has been used as a maintenance therapy in patients with advanced ovarian, fallopian tubes, or peritoneal cancer who have responded to initial chemotherapy. It helps in delaying disease progression and extending the time before the next round of chemotherapy is required.

Improved progression-free survival: In clinical trials, olaparib has demonstrated an improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer compared to placebo or other standard treatments. PFS refers to the duration of time during which the disease does not worsen.

Reduced risk of recurrence: For breast cancer patients with BRCA mutations who have completed initial treatment, olaparib has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence compared to placebo. This can potentially improve long-term outcomes for these patients.

Well-tolerated: Olaparib is generally well-tolerated, with manageable side effects. Common side effects may include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, anaemia and decreased appetite. These side effects can often be effectively managed, and the benefits of treatment usually outweigh the associated risks.