Targeted therapy for ovarian cancer: the rapidly evolving landscape of PARP inhibitor use.

Background: Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors are a targeted therapy option for ovarian cancer. The goal of this review was to organize and summarize the clinical trials evaluating PARP inhibitor therapy in ovarian cancer as monotherapy, maintenance therapy after partial or complete remission to therapy or as a part of a combination regimen.

Methods: PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, data from the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) and proceedings from scientific conferences were searched for published and unpublished data pertaining to clinical trials and approvals of PARP inhibitor use in ovarian cancer.

Results: There have been 36 published phase 1, 2 and 3 studies evaluating the use of olaparib, niraparib, veliparib and rucaparib in ovarian cancer. Olaparib and rucaparib have been approved by the US FDA as monotherapy for advanced recurrent ovarian cancer. Niraparib and olaparib have been approved by the US FDA for maintenance therapy after partial or complete remission in recurrent ovarian cancer. There are currently ten phase 3 trials evaluating PARP inhibitors at various timepoints in ovarian cancer therapy including at the time of primary adjuvant therapy, as maintenance therapy after primary chemotherapy, as monotherapy for recurrent cancer and as maintenance therapy after chemotherapy for recurrence.

Conclusions: The landscape of PARP inhibitor use for ovarian cancer is rapidly evolving and PARP inhibitors have become more available as a targeted therapy option for ovarian cancer treatment.