Actor Pierce Brosnan, 68, Celebrates Love For His Wife– Years After Tragic Loss– The Remarkable Progress In Ovarian Cancer

Smith is the actor's second wifethe pair met in 1994 and married in 2001. Brosnan's first wife, Cassandra Harris, died of ovarian cancer in 1991 at 43 years old. In 2013, twenty-two years after Harris's passing, Brosnan also lost his adopted daughter Charlotte to ovarian cancer at only 41-years-old.

The James Bond star has spoken publicly about the grief he experienced after both of these losses. "I was in a helpless state of confusion and anger," he told People. Speaking at the Stand Up To Cancer telecast in 2014, Brosnan said, "To watch someone you love have his or her life eaten away bit by bit by this insidious disease, that part of your sorrow becomes an indelible part of your psyche. I held the generous, strong, beautiful hand of my first wife Cassie as ovarian cancer took her life much too soon. Just last year, I held the hand of my funny, wonderful daughter Charlotte, before she too died from this wretched inherited disease."

Brosnan's heartbreak is still a part of him, but the gratitude he shows for the love that he's found in his life after cancer reminds us that there are always more beautiful things to experience, even after profound loss.

Gynecologic oncologist Dr. John Nakayama of Allegheny Health Network discusses the advances being made every day in the treatment of ovarian cancer, including a new class of cancer-fighting drugs called PARP inhibitors.

Understanding Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is sometimes called "the cancer that whispers," because of its hard-to-detect symptoms, but much has changed about the treatment of ovarian cancer since the death of Brosnan's first wife in 1991.

Ovarian cancer may present minor symptoms or no symptoms at all when it is in its earliest and most-treatable stages. When more significant symptoms appear, the cancer is likely further along, making treatment challenging.

There are several important risk factors for ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is most common in women over 40, and more likely to occur in women who have gone through menopause. Another significant risk factor is a family history of ovarian, breast, or colorectal cancer. Mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene will also increase your ovarian cancer risk. If a parent has one of these mutations, there's a 50% chance you have it as well. Being overweight increases your ovarian cancer risk, and can cause complications in treatment. Finally, women are at higher risk if they had their first child after the age of 35 or were never pregnant.

Dr. Ursula Matulonis, the Chief of Gynecologic Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses the side effects of PARP inhibitors.

PARP Inhibitors

The most significant advancement since the time of Cassandra Harris's treatment is the use of a class of drugs called PARP inhibitors, which have been approved as a first-line treatment.

PARP inhibitors are a targeted cancer medication that women take orally. They cause cancer cells to die by blocking them from repairing DNA damage. In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. David Engle of Baptist Medical Group explained that this can extend the period of time in which the cancer remains in remission. In some cases, PARP inhibitors can completely prevent cancer from recurring. PARP inhibitors can be used during the first diagnosis of ovarian cancer as a maintenance medication, or used as a maintenance drug with recurring ovarian cancer.

Patients with BRCA1 or BRCA 2 gene mutations are more likely to respond positively to PARP inhibitors. These genetic variations increase the likelihood of ovarian cancer, as well as breast cancer and pancreatic cancer. These genes also play a part in repairing cells, so people with mutations in one or both of the genes already have a faulty repair system. PARP inhibitors interfere with this process further, making it even harder for cancer cells to repair themselves.

PARP inhibitors are known to cause significant side-effects, including nausea, vomiting, upset stomachs, and fatigue. These drugs interfere with the repair of healthy cells as well as cancer cells, which can lead to reduced blood cell counts and reduced platelet counts. Less blood cells can lead to fatigue, reduced immunity, and light-headedness. Reduced platelet counts can interfere with blood clotting, leading to excessive bleeding, bruising, and blood in urine or stool.

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