How long does it take Lynparza (olaparib) to work?

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on July 2, 2024.

Official answer

by Drugs.com

It takes Lynparza between two months and five months to start working depending on what cancer it is being used to treat.

It may take at least 3 months for Lynparza to start working when used to treat ovarian cancer. Trials reported a higher proportion of patients were event-free at 3 months with Lynparza compared to those taking placebo (an inactive treatment). This difference continued to the end of the trial with Lynparza lowering the risk of the disease progression or death by 70% when compared to a placebo (an inactive pill). Most women (61%, or 158 out of 260 women) did not see their cancer grow or return for a median of 3.4 years.

When used to treat metastatic breast cancer, differences between Lynparza and chemotherapy treatment were noted at 2 months. Lynparza delayed disease progression by 7 months compared to 4.2 months for patients who were given chemotherapy treatment. People treated with Lynparza were 42% less likely to have their cancer grow or spread than those on chemotherapy. In addition, 52% of people (87 of 167) saw their tumor shrink, compared to 23% (15 of 166) who received certain chemotherapy treatments.

Kaplan-Meier plots from the OlympiA RCT of 1836 patients with germline BRCA-mutated HER2-negative high risk early breast cancer showed a difference in invasive disease-free survival between patients prescribed Lynparza and those assigned to placebo within a few months that persisted for the length of the trial (60 months).

When used to treat metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, differences were noted as early as two months into treatment for trial participants assigned Lynparza compared to those assigned enzalutamide or abiraterone acetate. In studies in men with BRCA1, BRCA2, or ATM gene mutations, Lynparza doubled the median time without cancer progression or death to 7.4 months, compared to 3.6 months with the hormone treatments enzalutamide (Xtandi) or abiraterone (Yonsa, Zytiga). Overall, 56 out of 162 men (35%) who took Lyparza did not have disease progression or death compared to 15 out of 83 men (18%) on enzalutamide or abiraterone.

When used to treat metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma, Lynparza took a while longer to start working, with a difference from placebo not noted until 5 or 6 months into trials. In one study of 92 patients, Lynparza reduced the risk of the cancer growing or returning by 47% when compared to a placebo. In those who received Lynparza, cancer did not grow or return for 7.4 months, compared to 3.8 months for those who received a placebo.

Why has Xtandi stopped working and what do I take next?

Prostate cancer cells, like bacteria, can evolve over time and become resistant to treatments, including the hormone therapy and androgen receptor inhibitor Xtandi (enzalutamide). The cancer cells work to reprogram their environment and develop strategies that enable them to transform and survive.

If treatment with Xtandi stops working then other treatments may be offered, such as:

Chemotherapy
Immunotherapy
Targeted therapy
Radiotherapy

Stopping treatment with Xtandi may also result in an antiandrogen withdrawal response (AAWR), which can cause the cancer to stop growing or shrink for the period of time. Continue reading

How long does Xtandi work?

Xtandi is typically taken until prostate cancer starts to progress or spread (metastasize), or until the patient can no longer tolerate therapy because of the side effects or adverse events it causes.

In clinical trials, Xtandi was effective at delaying the time to disease progression in men with advanced prostate cancer. In men who had not received prior treatment with chemotherapy, Xtandi was also effective at delaying the need for treatment with a cytotoxic chemotherapy agent.

In the AFFIRM trial, treatment with Xtandi extended life by almost 5 months in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Continue reading

Why is prednisone prescribed with Zytiga?

Zytiga is taken with prednisone to help manage side effects that might occur with this prostate cancer treatment. Zytiga blocks the production of cortisol from your adrenal glands. Prednisone helps to replace the lost cortisol that can cause side effects such as low blood potassium levels, fluid build up (edema), or high blood pressure. Continue reading

Drug information

Related support groups

Lynparza (3 questions, 6 members)
Olaparib (3 questions, 4 members)
Prostate Cancer (56 questions, 156 members)
Breast Cancer, Metastatic (57 questions, 80 members)
Ovarian Cancer (12 questions, 54 members)
Pancreatic Cancer (6 questions, 27 members)

Medical Disclaimer