Genetic Testing and PARP Inhibitors
- Genetic testing is crucial to understanding the potential benefit from PARP inhibitors
- PARP inhibitors prevent cancer cells from repairing their DNA breaks
- Women with BRCA mutations respond best to PARPs
- PARP Inhibitors have shown some benefit in women throughout the stages of the ovarian cancer journey and in a wide variety of genetic profiles. The decision to take these drugs must be weighed with the associated toxicity and a patient’s personal goals
For ovarian cancer patients, genetic testing and identifying cell mutations is an important step in order to identify the best treatment options.
In 2015, genetic testing became prominent in cancer research to decide the best care for cancer patients. The test can be done at any stage during treatment, and is much more accessible now than it used to be. Through genetic testing, doctors will be able to see if patients have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, and will likely give them PARP Inhibitors during treatment.
“PARP inhibitors are a class of oral medications, so they’re pills basically,” says Dr. Kellie Schneider, a gynecologic oncologist at Novant Health in Charlotte, North Carolina. “They decrease PARP, [a protein] which helps repair a cancer cell when there is DNA strand break. It helps make it a single-strand break as opposed to a double-strand break. PARP helps a cancer cell repair itself, and PARP inhibitors ensure that these cancer cells will die as opposed to being able to repair themselves.”
Patients with BRCA mutations respond best to PARP Inhibitors. According to Dr. Schneider, this class of drug helps both patients with an active disease and when they’re trying to maintain a remission.
“Like other treatments, PARP inhibitors have their own unique class of side effects,” she notes. “But a lot of patients have seen amazing benefits with PARP inhibitors.”
While initially women with a BRCA-1 or BRCA-2 genetic mutation had been shown to respond especially well to PARP inhibitors after recurrence, newer research has shown that women with the BRCA gene mutation (and indeed almost all women), can consider using PARP inhibitors throughout their treatment.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved niraparib (brand name ZEJULA) for almost all women regardless of whether they have the BRCA mutation, as part of an initial course of treatment, or what’s called front-line treatment. Most recently, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) released new guidelines recommending PARP inhibitors be offered to women, with or without genetic mutations, who are newly diagnosed with stage III or IV ovarian cancer and have improved with chemotherapy.
However, Dr. Amanika Kumar of the Mayo Clinic who spoke to SurvivorNet, cautioned that women still need to speak with their doctor to evaluate the benefit of taking a PARP inhibitor to extend life, because there are very real side effects due to the toxicity of the drug. “Patients with HRD (homologous recombination deficiency) have a far better response than those without and those with BRCA mutations even more so. It is on us as clinicians to help patients understand the risks and benefits of treatment. Patients that have no mutation or HRD may choose not to go on maintenance (in fact I recommend they don’t) because there is real toxicity to these meds.”
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
Genetic Testing and PARP Inhibitors
- Genetic testing is crucial to understanding the potential benefit from PARP inhibitors
- PARP inhibitors prevent cancer cells from repairing their DNA breaks
- Women with BRCA mutations respond best to PARPs
- PARP Inhibitors have shown some benefit in women throughout the stages of the ovarian cancer journey and in a wide variety of genetic profiles. The decision to take these drugs must be weighed with the associated toxicity and a patient’s personal goals
For ovarian cancer patients, genetic testing and identifying cell mutations is an important step in order to identify the best treatment options.
In 2015, genetic testing became prominent in cancer research to decide the best care for cancer patients. The test can be done at any stage during treatment, and is much more accessible now than it used to be. Through genetic testing, doctors will be able to see if patients have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, and will likely give them PARP Inhibitors during treatment.
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“PARP inhibitors are a class of oral medications, so they’re pills basically,” says
Dr. Kellie Schneider, a gynecologic oncologist at Novant Health in Charlotte, North Carolina. “They decrease PARP, [a protein] which helps repair a cancer cell when there is DNA strand break. It helps make it a single-strand break as opposed to a double-strand break. PARP helps a cancer cell repair itself, and PARP inhibitors ensure that these cancer cells will die as opposed to being able to repair themselves.”
Patients with BRCA mutations respond best to PARP Inhibitors. According to Dr. Schneider, this class of drug helps both patients with an active disease and when they’re trying to maintain a remission.
“Like other treatments, PARP inhibitors have their own unique class of side effects,” she notes. “But a lot of patients have seen amazing benefits with PARP inhibitors.”
While initially women with a BRCA-1 or BRCA-2 genetic mutation had been shown to respond especially well to PARP inhibitors after recurrence, newer research has shown that women with the BRCA gene mutation (and indeed almost all women), can consider using PARP inhibitors throughout their treatment.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved niraparib (brand name ZEJULA) for almost all women regardless of whether they have the BRCA mutation, as part of an initial course of treatment, or what’s called front-line treatment. Most recently, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) released new guidelines recommending PARP inhibitors be offered to women, with or without genetic mutations, who are newly diagnosed with stage III or IV ovarian cancer and have improved with chemotherapy.
However, Dr. Amanika Kumar of the Mayo Clinic who spoke to SurvivorNet, cautioned that women still need to speak with their doctor to evaluate the benefit of taking a PARP inhibitor to extend life, because there are very real side effects due to the toxicity of the drug. “Patients with HRD (homologous recombination deficiency) have a far better response than those without and those with BRCA mutations even more so. It is on us as clinicians to help patients understand the risks and benefits of treatment. Patients that have no mutation or HRD may choose not to go on maintenance (in fact I recommend they don’t) because there is real toxicity to these meds.”
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
