Maintenance niraparib therapy for patients with relapsed platinum sensitive ovarian cancer: experience at a south coast network

Abstract

Ovarian cancer remains a challenge to treatment teams with approximately 20 new diagnoses each day. A new treatment has recently entered the treatment pathway using a drug call niraparib – a polymerase inhibitor. This paper reports on a local audit following first introduction of niraparib in the maintenance phase of treatment, following a clear response to initial platinum therapy to understand the real world experience. Results show a very well tolerated treatment with manageable toxicities such as fatigue anaemia and thrombocytopenia as seen in the initial NOVA trial. This successful introduction of maintenance treatment has led to workforce challenges of managing capacity and multidisciplinary teams. A nurse led clinic solution was crafted allowing patients to be safely managed without the need for attendance at hospital.