A New Treatment for Ovarian Cancer

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a new treatment for ovarian cancer.

It's called Rubraca (rucaparib) and is approved for the treatment of women with advanced ovarian cancer and who have certain BRCA gene mutations. This medication is only for women who have tried two or more chemotherapy medicines for their cancer before.

To determine if this treatment is appropriate, your health care provider will need to perform a test.

Rucaparib is available as a tablet and is to be given by mouth two times a day (every 12 hours), with or without food.

Common side effects include nausea and vomiting, feeling very tired, low blood cell counts and stomach pain. This medication can make your skin sensitive to the sun, so avoid or limit sun exposure.

Rucaparib may also cause serious side effects. These include certain bone marrow problems or a type of cancer of the blood called acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Your health care provider will perform periodic blood tests to check your blood cell counts. This medication can also harm your unborn baby.

Clovis Oncology manufactures rucaparib.