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 the additive effects of olaparib (Lynparza) and bevacizumab (Avastin) in advanced ovarian cancer.

The combination of olaparib and bevacizumab showed a benefit in progression-free survival versus bevacizumab and placebo as frontline maintenance therapy in women with newly diagnosed, advanced ovarian cancer following prior therapy with platinum and bevacizumab, according to data from the phase III PAOLA-1 trial. Bevacizumab is a standard frontline therapy in Europe, says Ledermann. According to the data from the trial, it is difficult to determine whether olaparib should be given alone or in combination with bevacizumab since the trial design did not include another arm of olaparib alone.

Whether bevacizumab has an additive effect on olaparib remains unclear, says Ledermann. This begs the question of whether olaparib should be given alone or in combination with bevacizumab. Given the high costs of both drugs, it may be that bevacizumab is best suited for patients without homologous recombination deficiency who are ineligible to receive olaparib, concludes Ledermann.

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Jonathan A. Ledermann, BSc, MD, FRCP, discusses the additive effects of olaparib (Lynparza) and bevacizumab (Avastin) in advanced ovarian cancer.

Dr. Ledermann on the Additive Effects of Olaparib and Bevacizumab in 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.

Jonathan A. Ledermann, BSc, MD, FRCP

Articles

Dr. Ledermann on the Additive Effects of Olaparib and Bevacizumab in Ovarian Cancer

Dr. Ledermann on Response to Rucaparib in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer