Dr. Higano Discusses PARP Inhibitors in Prostate Cancer

Celestia Higano, MD, professor of medicine and urology at the University of Washington, and a member of the Clinical Research Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, discusses PARP inhibitors in prostate cancer.

In ovarian cancer, PARP inhibitors have been effective in patients with DNA repair defects. About one-quarter of patients with metastatic prostate cancer have DNA damage alterations, says Higano, suggesting that PARP inhibitors may be effective in this population.

Recently, olaparib (Lynparza) has shown promise in prostate cancer, with a high response rate in a recent small study.