Dr. Konecny on the Indications for PARP Inhibitors in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer

Gottfried E. Konecny, MD, associate professor of medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, discusses the indications for the FDA-approved PARP inhibitors in recurrent ovarian cancer.

There are currently 3 FDA-approved PARP inhibitors in this setting, Konecny says. Olaparib (Lynparza) is approved for the treatment of patients who have had 3 prior lines of chemotherapy and as maintenance therapy for patients in a complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) to platinum-based chemotherapy. Similarly, rucaparib (Rubraca) is approved for the treatment of patients who have had at least 2 prior lines of chemotherapy or as maintenance therapy in patients who have had a CR or PR to chemotherapy. Next, niraparib (Zejula) is also indicated as maintenance therapy in patients who have had a CR or PR to platinum-based chemotherapy.

Konecny concludes that the field has 3 approved drugs for broad use in recurrent ovarian cancer, either as maintenance therapy in platinum-sensitive patients or as treatment for patients with a germline or somatic BRCA mutation and deficiency in homologous recombination.