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Olaparib for advanced breast cancer

    Gaia Griguolo

    Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

    Division of Oncology 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, Padova, Italy

    ,
    Maria Vittoria Dieci

    Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

    Division of Oncology 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, Padova, Italy

    ,
    Federica Miglietta

    Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

    Division of Oncology 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, Padova, Italy

    ,
    Valentina Guarneri

    Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

    Division of Oncology 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, Padova, Italy

    &
    PierFranco Conte

    *Author for correspondence: Tel.: +39 049 821 5931; Fax: +39 049 821 5932;

    E-mail Address: pierfranco.conte@unipd.it

    Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

    Division of Oncology 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, Padova, Italy

    Published Online:https://doi.org/10.2217/fon-2019-0689

    Olaparib, an oral PARP-inhibitor, has shown clinical benefit for HER2-negative advanced breast cancer patients carrying a germinal BRCA1/2 mutation. In a randomized Phase III trial, olaparib significantly prolonged progression-free survival as compared with chemotherapy of physician choice. Moreover, in the same trial, a prespecified subgroup analysis reported an overall survival benefit for patients not previously pretreated with chemotherapy for metastatic disease. This review focuses on available preclinical, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data regarding olaparib and clinical evidence of its antitumor efficacy (both as monotherapy and in combination) and tolerability in breast cancer patients. Open questions, such as use of appropriate biomarkers for patient selection and combination/sequencing with other anticancer drugs, are also addressed.

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

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