Groundbreaking ovarian cancer drug lynparza will soon be available much earlier in patients’ cancer journey under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

Manufacturer AstraZeneca announced the drug’s PBS listing will be expanded from November 1.

Pink Hope founder and CEO Krystal Barter told Jim Wilson ovarian cancer is a “silent killer”, and the wider availability of lynparza is an important milestone.

“I think it’s really important to know that there is hope for the future, to know that there’s incredible research happening, and science … will give future generations better options.”

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Meanwhile a free, three-minute online risk assessment tool is proving useful in identifying potential prostate cancer patients.

Maxwell Plus founder Dr Elliott Smith told Jim Wilson it was previously more difficult to tell the difference between aggressive and slow-moving cancers, causing men confusion.

The free quiz gives men a clear picture of their risk, to help them decide whether to take further action.

“At the end of the day, nothing other than a test is going to give you the ultimate answer.”

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