Olaparib
Olaparib works by blocking the activity of PARP enzymes, which help repair damaged DNA in cells. Cancer cells with BRCA mutations or certain other gene mutations cannot use a key DNA repair process called homologous recombination (HR) and need PARP enzymes to survive. Blocking the activity of PARP enzymes causes these cancer cells to die. Olaparib is a type of targeted therapy drug called a PARP inhibitor. It is a small-molecule drug (a drug that can enter cells easily).
FDA label information for this drug is available at DailyMed.
Use in Cancer
Olaparib is approved to treat:
- Breast cancer that is HER2 negative and has certain germline mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. Olaparib is used after surgery in adults with:
- high-risk early-stage breast cancer that has been treated with chemotherapy before or after surgery
- metastatic cancer that has been treated with chemotherapy before or after the cancer spread
- Ovarian epithelial, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer. Olaparib is used as maintenance therapy in adults who are having a complete or partial response to platinum chemotherapy. It is used:
- as the first maintenance therapy in patients with advanced cancer that has certain germline or somatic mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene
- with bevacizumab as the first maintenance therapy in patients with advanced cancer that has genomic instability and/or certain germline or somatic mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene
- in patients with recurrent cancer
- Pancreatic cancer. Olaparib is used as maintenance therapy in adults with metastatic cancer that has not progressed after first-line therapy with platinum chemotherapy and has certain germline mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene.
- Prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body and is castrate resistant (has not responded to treatments that lower testosterone levels). Olaparib is used:
- alone in adults with germline or somatic mutations in certain genes involved in the homologous recombination repair pathway whose cancer has gotten worse after treatment with enzalutamide or abiraterone
- with abiraterone and prednisone or prednisolone in adults with certain mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene
Olaparib is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer.
More About Olaparib
Definition from the NCI Drug Dictionary - Detailed scientific definition and other names for this drug.
MedlinePlus Information on Olaparib - A lay language summary of important information about this drug that may include the following:
- warnings about this drug,
- what this drug is used for and how it is used,
- what you should tell your doctor before using this drug,
- what you should know about this drug before using it,
- other drugs that may interact with this drug, and
- possible side effects.
Drugs are often studied to find out if they can help treat or prevent conditions other than the ones they are approved for. This patient information sheet applies only to approved uses of the drug. However, much of the information may also apply to unapproved uses that are being studied.
Research Results and Related Resources
Targeted Therapy to Treat Cancer
Clinical Trials Accepting Patients
Find Clinical Trials for Olaparib - Check for trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials now accepting patients.