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PARP Inhibitors

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Abstract

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is a novel therapeutic target in cancer. Preclinical studies demonstrate that PARP inhibitors selectively kill BRCA-deficient cells and potentiate the effects of DNA-damaging agents. There are several PARP inhibitors in clinical development, including olaparib, iniparib, veliparib, PF-01367338, and MK-4827. Phase II studies of single-agent olaparib demonstrate activity in BRCA-associated cancers. A randomized phase II trial showed that the addition of iniparib to gemcitabine and carboplatin in patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) improved progression-free survival and overall survival. A phase III trial evaluating this combination in metastatic TNBC has completed accrual. Phase III studies of olaparib in BRCA-associated breast cancer and veliparib in breast cancer are being planned. This article reviews the clinical studies to date that have evaluated PARP inhibitors as a single agent or in combination with chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer, including BRCA-associated breast cancer and TNBC.

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Disclosure

Hongyan Liang reports no potential conflict of interest relevant to this article. Antoinette R. Tan reports no potential conflict of interest relevant to this article.

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  1. The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, 195 Little Albany Street, New Brunswick, NJ, 08903, USA

    Hongyan Liang & Antoinette R. Tan

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  1. Hongyan Liang
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Liang, H., Tan, A.R. PARP Inhibitors. Curr Breast Cancer Rep 3, 44–54 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12609-010-0036-y

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