1554 – Testing of tumour tissue or blood to detect somatic or germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations, in a patient with newly diagnosed, advanced (FIGO stage III-IV) high-grade epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer who are in response (complete or partial) to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy)

Amendment to existing MBS item(s).

Blood and tumour tissue testing to detect germline or somatic BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations in patients with newly diagnosed, advanced (FIGO stage III-IV), high-grade epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer, who do not met the eligibility criteria of MBS item 73295 or MBS item 73296, to determine PBS eligibility for olaparib as first-line maintenance therapy.

Type: Co-dependent technology

Ovarian cancer is the eighth most commonly diagnosed type of cancer for women in Australia, with an estimated 1613 new cases in 2018.1 The 5-year relative survival for women with ovarian cancer in Australia is low at 44.4%.1 The most common and most aggressive histological subtype is high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). Patients with fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer have similar serous features and are usually treated as for ovarian cancer. HGSOC is difficult to diagnose in its early stages as there are no effective tests for early detection, and symptoms tend to be vague and non-specific (e.g. bloating, fatigue and abdominal pain) so most women are diagnosed when their disease is advanced and widespread. Standard first line treatment of HGSOC is platinum-based chemotherapy.2 Ovarian cancer is a highly chemo-sensitive tumour type, but more than 70% of women with advanced disease who initially respond to first-line chemotherapy will eventually relapse and require re-treatment. BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutational loss of function is a primary driver of ovarian cancer.

1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Cancer in Australia 2017
2. Cancer Australia 2014 First line chemotherapy for the treatment of women with epithelial ovarian cancer.

• PASC meeting: 6 to 7 December 2018
• ESC meeting: 10 to 11 October 2019
• MSAC meeting: 
  • 28 to 29 November 2019
  • 28 to 29 July 2020