Dr Hinchcliff on the Evolving Role of PARP Inhibitors in Ovarian Cancer

“Similar to the role of immunotherapy in endometrial cancer, PARP inhibitors for the HRD ovarian cancer population have changed the game.”

Emily M. Hinchcliff, MD, MPH, assistant professor, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern Medicine, discusses considerations for future research directions regarding the role of PARP inhibitors in the treatment of patients with ovarian cancer.

The introduction of PARP inhibitors into the homologous recombination–deficient (HRD) ovarian cancer treatment paradigm has transformed how this disease is managed, Hinchcliff begins. This class of agents has demonstrated unprecedented efficacy in the ovarian cancer population, she says. A critical area of ongoing research is the sequencing of therapies for ovarian cancer, particularly for patients who have received PARP inhibitors in the frontline setting, she explains. This parallels the role of immunotherapy in the endometrial cancer treatment paradigm, she notes.

The field of ovarian cancer management is experiencing substantial advancements, and a growing array of therapeutic options is emerging, according to Hinchcliff. This expansion mirrors the broader treatment progress seen across gynecologic oncology, marking an exciting and transformative area of medicine, she emphasizes.

Several PARP inhibitors are currently FDA approved for the treatment of patients with ovarian cancer:

• Niraparib (Zejula) is indicated as maintenance therapy in adult patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer who are in complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) to frontline platinum-based chemotherapy, as well as maintenance therapy for adult patients with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline BRCA-mutant recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer who are in CR or PR following platinum-based chemotherapy.
• Olaparib (Lynparza) is indicated as maintenance therapy for adult patients with BRCA-mutated advanced epithelial ovarian cancer who are in CR or PR following platinum-based chemotherapy in the frontline setting and beyond, as well as in combination with bevacizumab (Avastin) for maintenance therapy in adult patients with advanced HRD epithelial ovarian cancer who are in CR or PR following platinum-based chemotherapy in the frontline setting.
• Rucaparib (Rubraca) is indicated as maintenance therapy for adult patients with BRCA mutation–associated recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer who are in CR or PR to platinum-based chemotherapy.