What has NICE said?
For recurrent ovarian cancer, the following possible treatments are recommended:
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paclitaxel (also known as Taxol) on its own or with platinum
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pegylated liposomal doxorubicin hydrochloride (PLDH, also known as Caelyx) on its own or with platinum.
For ovarian cancer that has recurred for the first time and is platinum-sensitive, Nice does not recommend gemcitabine (Gemzar) with carboplatin (Paraplatin), trabectedin (Yondelis) with PLDH, or topotecan (Hycamtin or Potactasol). Topotecan is also not recommended for treating recurrent ovarian cancer that is platinum-resistant or platinum-refractory.
What does this mean for me?
If you have recurrent ovarian cancer and your doctor thinks that paclitaxel on its own or with platinum, or pegylated liposomal doxorubicin hydrochloride (PLDH) on its own, is the right treatment, you should be able to have the treatment on the NHS.
These treatments should be available on the NHS within 3 months of the guidance being issued.
You may be able to have PLDH with platinum treatment on the NHS as long as your doctor gets your written consent to have it and the NHS within your area agrees to provide it.
If you are already taking gemcitabine with carboplatin, trabectedin with PLDH, or topotecan for recurrent ovarian cancer, you should be able to continue taking it until you and your doctor decide it is the right time to stop.