Diagnosed with ovarian cancer? Educate yourself with the Biomarker Boost
All the information, decisions, and emotions that come along with an ovarian cancer diagnosis can be a lot to process. During such a difficult time, one of the most powerful things you can do is ask your doctor some key questions.
An important question to start with is: “Can we talk about biomarker testing?”
Boost your knowledge about biomarkers
Biomarkers are substances that can tell your doctor more about what’s happening in your body as it relates to your cancer. Think of them as clues that can help your doctor learn more about your ovarian cancer and potential treatment options. One biomarker you may have heard about is BRCA1/2. There are also other biomarkers related to ovarian cancer, such as FRα, HER2, HRD, MMR, and MSI. Be sure to ask your doctor about testing for these biomarkers as well.
Why biomarkers matter in ovarian cancer treatment
In ovarian cancer, biomarkers can be important when it comes to making treatment decisions, especially if the biomarkers are actionable. An actionable biomarker is a kind of biomarker that can be targeted with medication. These medications are called targeted therapies and include PARP inhibitors, ADCs, and immunotherapies.
If you have one or more actionable biomarkers, you and your doctor may factor that in when deciding what treatment is right for you.
Talking to your doctor about biomarkers
Discussing biomarker testing with your doctor as early as possible can be an important step in your ovarian cancer treatment journey. By asking to be tested for biomarkers, you are taking an active role in making sure you get the most appropriate treatment.
Questions to ask your doctor:
- Which biomarkers have I been tested for?
- If I haven’t been tested for biomarkers yet, should I be?
- Does my cancer have any actionable biomarkers?
- What do my biomarker results mean for treatment?
- Am I eligible for targeted treatments?
- What are the next steps?
To learn more about biomarker testing, visit biomarkerboost.com.
ADC=antibody-drug conjugate; BRCA1/2=breast cancer gene mutation 1 or 2; FRα=folate receptor alpha; HER2=human epidermal growth factor receptor 2; HRD=homologous recombination deficiency; MMR=mismatch repair; MSI=microsatellite instability; PARP=poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase.
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