Key points
- Currently there are no publicly funded targeted therapies for early triple negative breast cancer in New Zealand.
- Chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment for early TNBC.
- Patients can access targeted therapies through Cost Share Programmes or clinical trials. GPs can also access unfunded medicines on behalf of their patients.
- Patients may benefit from clinical trials to identify treatments that would otherwise not be available through the public health system.
Content:
Keytruda
Keytruda (Pembrolizumab) may be given as a neoadjuvant therapy followed by adjuvant treatment alongside chemotherapy in early triple negative breast cancer. Keytruda is an immune checkpoint inhibitor that binds to the protein PD-1 to help immune cells recognise and kill cancer cells. Currently unfunded in NZ for early triple negative breast cancer.
Olaparib (Lynparza)
Olaparib, a PARP inhibitor, is a treatment option for people with BRCA 1/2 gene mutation in TNBC. Olaparib is not publicly funded in New Zealand for TNBC.
