Treatment of patients with ovarian carcinoma with a BRCA1/2 mutation present

01/2018

MUDr. Mária Zvaríková

Masarykův onkologický ústav, Brno

SUMMARY

Poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase inhibitors (PARP) are considered to be one of the most exciting new options for patients with ovarian carcinoma. In monotherapy, PARP inhibitors have shown the greatest activity in tumor cells carrying mutations in BRCA genes. Recent Phase III studies have shown that PARP inhibitor activity is also present in nonmutated patients, especially if they have certain clinical characteristics such as platinum sensitivity and histologically verified high-grade serous carcinoma. PARP inhibitors were also combined with chemotherapy, but overlapping myelosuppression was observed with both PARP inhibitors and chemotherapy, inhibiting the development of these combinations. In contrast, combinations of PARP inhibitors and biological agents, particularly antiangiogenic agents, appear to be well tolerated and show promising activity in both BRCA mutants and wild type BRCA. There are currently numerous clinical trials investigating the anti-tumor activity of combination therapy of PARP inhibitors.

KEY WORDS

PARP inhibitors, ovarian carcinoma, BRCA mutation, targeted treatment