Cancer Treatment
Read about different genes that are linked to hereditary cancer, their associated risks and guidelines for screening, preventing and treating cancers in people with inherited mutations in these genes.Stay up to date on research and information
Sign Up for FORCE NewslettersMedical Decisions for People with an Inherited Mutation Who Have Been Diagnosed with Cancer
People with an mutation who have been diagnosed with cancer may benefit from testing and may qualify for clinical trials looking for more effective treatments for cancer.
PARP inhibitors for prostate cancer
The Talzenna () has received FDA-approval to treat men with , , who have a mutation in or other genes linked to a certain type of damage repair.
Other types of cancer
Currently there are no other cancer treatments approved specifically for people with a mutation, nor guidelines for treating cancer specifically for people with a mutation. To learn more about standard of care treatment options for specific types of cancer, visit our section on Cancer Treatment by Cancer Type. You may also consider enrolling in a clinical trial studying which treatments work best for people with an inherited mutation.
Get Support
FORCE offers many peer support programs for people with inherited mutations.
- Our Message Boards allow people to connect with others who share their situation. Once registered, you can post on the Diagnosed With Cancer board to connect with other people who have been diagnosed.
- Our Peer Navigation Program will match you with a volunteer who shares your mutation and situation.
- Our moderated, private Facebook group allows you to connect with other community members 24/7.
- Check out our virtual and in-person support meeting calendar.
- Join one of our Zoom community group meetings.
Paying For Care
Paying for cancer treatment
The majority of public and private health insurance plans are required to cover cancer diagnosis and treatment; copays, coinsurance and deductibles often apply. Patient costs and coverage for specific doctors, facilities or treatments may vary based on your health plan. Visit our section on Insurance and Paying for Care: Treatment for more information, links to sample appeal letters and other resources.
If you need information about finding an insurance plan, watch our video: Choosing Wisely: How to Pick Insurance Plans.
Some pharmaceutical companies have assistance programs that help cover the cost for their medications:
- Astellas Patient Assistance Program
- AstraZeneca Access 360
- Bayer US Patient Assistance Foundation
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Patient Assistance Foundation
- Eisai Patient Assistance Program
- Genentech Access Solutions
- GSK for You
- Janssen Patient Access Program
- LIlly Cares
- Merck Helps
- Pfizer Oncology Together
- Novartis Patient Assistance
- Sanofi Patient Connection
- Seattle Genetics' SeaGen Secure
- Taiho's Patient Support Program
- Takeda's Help at Hand
- Trodelvy Access Services
Organizations that offer co-pay assistance:
- Cancercare
- Patient Advocate Foundation
- Colorectal Cancer Alliance offers financial support to people in treatment for colorectal cancer.
Other resources:
- The American Cancer Society provides information and resources on covering the cost of cancer care. Public assistance, such as Medicaid may be available if you are ineligible for other programs.
- Needy Meds: Assistance programs to help patients with cost of medications and other healthcare.
- Triage Cancer offers tools and resources to help individuals cope with the financial aspects of a cancer diagnosis.
Open Clinical Trials
The following studies are looking at treatment for people with advanced .
- NCT05252390: NUV-868 Alone and in Combination With PARP Inhibitors in Patients With Advanced .This study will test the safety and effectiveness of the experimental drug NUV-868 alone and combined with a in people with advanced . This study is open to people whose cancer stopped responding or progressed on PARP inhibitors.
- NCT02264678: Ascending Doses of Ceralasertib in Combination With Chemotherapy and/or Novel Anti Cancer Agents. This is a study of ceralasertib administered orally in combination with chemotherapy regimens and/or novel anticancer agents to patients with advanced cancer. The study is enrolling people with inherited mutations, including , , , , , and people with tumors that are HRD-positive.
- NCT04644068: Study of AZD5305 as Monotherapy and in Combination With Anti-cancer Agents in Patients With Advanced Solid Malignancies (PETRA). This research is designed to learn whether treatment with a new , AZD5305, used alone or in combination with anti-cancer agents is safe, tolerable and has anti-cancer activity in patients with advanced . The study is open to people who have previously been treated with PARP inhibitors.
- NCT04267939: ATR Inhibitor Plus Study in Advanced and Ovarian Cancer. This study will look at how well people with advanced respond to treatment with the BAY1895344 in combination with the . This study is open to people with inherited mutations in , , and other genes. Contact the study coordinator for information about eligibility for people with mutations in other genes.
- NCT04657068: Treatment with ATR Inhibitor for Advanced or Solid Tumors. This study will look at how well a new oral known as an ATR inhibitor works on advanced or with mutations in genes that are linked to damage repair. This study is open to people who have an inherited or acquired or mutation or whose tumors are HRD-positive. This study is open to people whose cancer stopped responding or progressed on PARP inhibitors.