title: Olaparib for the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite recent advances in the management of epithelial ovarian cancer, overall survival rates remain poor, and there is a pressing need to develop novel therapeutic agents and maintenance strategies to improve outcomes for women with this disease. Olaparib, a potent oral poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, has demonstrated antitumor activity in women with ovarian cancer, associated with homologous recombination deficiency.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review outlines the rationale for PARP inhibitor therapy in ovarian cancer and summarizes the efficacy and tolerability data for olaparib to date. Ongoing phase III clinical trials of olaparib in ovarian cancer will be discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are a number of issues regarding the optimal use of olaparib in ovarian cancer, including the identification of a homologous recombination deficiency signature to predict treatment response, establishment of the optimal treatment setting (maintenance or relapsed disease), and evaluation of cost-effectiveness. Finally, the long term consequences of PARP inhibitors, including the risk of myelodysplasia and acute myeloid leukemia need to be quantified in ongoing large phase III clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: a Gynaecology Unit , The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust , London , UK.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McLachlan
authors.affiliation: a Gynaecology Unit , The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust , London , UK.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banerjee
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077216:Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010793:Phthalazines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000067856:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010793:Phthalazines; D010879:Piperazines; D000067856:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors; C531550:olaparib
keywords: BRCA; PARP inhibitor; homologous recombination; olaparib; ovarian cancer