Clinical Trial Evaluation

*Author for correspondence:

E-mail Address: Anne.Armstrong@christie.nhs.uk

Department of Medical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Wilmslow Road Manchester, M20 4BX, UK

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Vanessa Clay

Department of Medical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Wilmslow Road Manchester, M20 4BX, UK

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Published Online:15 Jul 2019https://doi.org/10.2217/fon-2018-0067

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Abstract

Breast cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide. Our increased understanding of cellular mechanisms inherent to cancer has led to the development of new therapeutic targets. One such therapy is that of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, with PARP playing a key role in the repair of single stranded DNA breaks. The development of drugs able to inhibit PARP led to their investigation in tumors that have defective DNA repair, including that of BRCA1/2-associated cancers. The PARP inhibitor Olaparib, has recently been evaluated in the Phase III OlympiAD trial, and demonstrated a significant progression-free survival advantage in patients with HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer and a germline BRCA-mutation. This article will review the findings and potential implications of the trial.

Keywords:

Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest; •• of considerable interest

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Vol. 15, No. 20

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History

Received 23 January 2018

Accepted 20 March 2019

Published online 15 July 2019

Published in print July 2019

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Keywords

Financial & competing interest disclosure

AC Armstrong has spousal shares in AstraZeneca. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Company review

In addition to the peer-review process, with the author’s consent, the manufacturer of the product discussed in this article was given the opportunity to review the manuscript for factual accuracy. Changes were made by the author at their discretion and based on scientific or editorial merit only. The author maintained full control over the manuscript, including content, wording and conclusions.

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Olaparib in germline-mutated metastatic breast cancer: implications of the OlympiAD trial

Abstract

References