Olaparib in the metastatic HER2-negative breast cancer setting

Abstract

Understanding of cancer biology is at the cornerstone of design of new and effective treatment strategies. Identification of molecular drivers of tumor growth and progression allow identify right patient for the right treatment for personalized treatment plan optimization. Breast cancer (BC) encompasses a heterogeneous collection of neoplasms with diverse morphologies, molecular phenotypes, responses to therapy, probabilities of relapse and overall survival. Molecular and histopathological classification aims to categories tumors into subgroups to inform clinical decisions, to improve long-term treatment results and maintain the quality of life of this group of patients. Germinal mutation in the BRCA1/2 (BRCAm) genes in a tumor determines the hereditary predisposition, disease manifestation, therapeutic options and clinical efficacy. Therefore, patients withBRCAmBCrepresent a special subgroup requiring personalized treatment approach.Olaparib, a poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, is a targeted therapeutic agent that acts as inhibitor of single-strand breaks reparation, leading to their accumulation, conversion to double-strand breaks and eventually to cancer cell apoptosis. Olaparib is a first-in-class PARP-inhibitor with an outstanding antineoplastic activity known for some malignant tumors, demonstrates effectiveness and safety of therapy inBRCAmBCas well. The results of OlympiAD and LUCY trials are represented in the article. Subgroup analysis may define the patient population that would benefit from PARP inhibitors therapy.