Dr. Ledermann on Response to Rucaparib in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer

Jonathan A. Ledermann, BSc, MD, FRCP, professor of medical oncology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, and an honorary consultant medical oncologist, UCL Hospitals, discusses responses to rucaparib (Rubraca) maintenance in ovarian cancer.

At the 2019 ESMO Congress, investigators presented data on the effect of rucaparib in patients with recurrent disease who achieved a complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) to chemotherapy. Many patients with recurrent disease will only achieve a PR to chemotherapy prior to receiving maintenance therapy, which is given to reduce the risk of recurrence and decrease remaining tumor burden, explains Ledermann.

In an analysis from the phase III ARIEL3 trial, investigators demonstrated that patients derived a similar benefit from rucaparib whether they achieved a CR or PR to chemotherapy. Additionally, a proportion of patients who had measurable disease after completing chemotherapy responded to rucaparib, suggesting that the drug can help maintain and induce further response, concludes Ledermann.