title: Advances in using PARP inhibitors to treat cancer.
abstract: The poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) family of enzymes plays a critical role in the maintenance of DNA integrity as part of the base excision pathway of DNA repair. PARP1 is overexpressed in a variety of cancers, and its expression has been associated with overall prognosis in cancer, especially breast cancer. A series of new therapeutic agents that are potent inhibitors of the PARP1 and PARP2 isoforms have demonstrated important clinical activity in patients with breast or ovarian cancers that are caused by mutations in either the BRCA1 or 2 genes. Results from such studies may define a new therapeutic paradigm, wherein simultaneous loss of the capacity to repair DNA damage may have antitumor activity in itself, as well as enhance the antineoplastic potential of cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, 31 Center Drive, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Shivaani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kummar
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ralph E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Parchment
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Kinders
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Joseph E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Tomaszewski
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Doroshow
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology*; D000067856:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D000067856:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases