Dr. Richards on Using PARP Inhibitors in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

Donald A. Richards, MD, PhD, medical oncologist, Texas Oncology, discusses the potential benefits of PARP inhibitors in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer who harbor somatic BRCA mutations.

In the randomized phase III POLO trial, investigators reported a significant progression-free survival benefit with the addition of olaparib (Lynparza) maintenance therapy in patients with germline BRCA mutations (7.4 months vs 3.8 months with placebo).

After screening 3315 patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer, investigators discovered that approximately 7.5% of patients had a germline BCRA mutation, Richard says. However, the effect of PARP inhibitors on patients with somatic mutations is unknown.

According to Richards, future tests exploring the potential benefit of olaparib and other PARP inhibitors in patients with mutations in PALB2 and ATM are underway.