Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 6, 2026

Generating a Murine Orthotopic Metastatic Breast Cancer Model and Performing Murine Radical Mastectomy
05:05

Generating a Murine Orthotopic Metastatic Breast Cancer Model and Performing Murine Radical Mastectomy

Published on: November 29, 2018

11.7K

Olaparib tablets for the treatment of germ line BRCA-mutated metastatic breast cancer

Dan Le1, Karen A Gelmon1

  • 1a Department of Medical Oncology , BC Cancer, Vancouver Centre , Vancouver , Canada.

Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology
|August 18, 2018
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Olaparib, a PARP inhibitor, offers a new treatment for metastatic HER2-negative breast cancer patients with germ line BRCA mutations (gBRCAm). The OlympiAD trial showed improved progression-free survival, with manageable side effects.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Germ line BRCA mutations (gBRCAm) are found in about 5% of breast cancer patients.
  • Olaparib is an oral poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor.
  • It's approved for metastatic HER2-negative breast cancer with gBRCAm.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy and safety of olaparib in patients with gBRCAm and metastatic HER2-negative breast cancer.
  • To compare olaparib's performance against chemotherapy.

Main Methods:

  • Phase III OlympiAD clinical trial.
  • Single-agent efficacy of olaparib was assessed.

Main Results:

  • Olaparib demonstrated a statistically significant progression-free survival benefit over chemotherapy.
  • Common adverse events include nausea, anemia, and vomiting.
  • Grade 3 adverse events were primarily anemia and neutropenia.

Conclusions:

  • Olaparib is a well-tolerated and effective treatment for metastatic HER2-negative breast cancer with gBRCAm.
  • It provides an alternative to chemotherapy, especially for triple-negative breast cancer.
  • Further research is needed on combination therapies and sequential treatments.
Keywords:
BRCAPARP inhibitormetastatic breast cancerolaparib

More Related Videos

Monitoring Breast Cancer Growth and Metastatic Colony Formation in Mice using Bioluminescence06:52

Monitoring Breast Cancer Growth and Metastatic Colony Formation in Mice using Bioluminescence

Published on: November 5, 2021

3.7K
Initiation of Metastatic Breast Carcinoma by Targeting of the Ductal Epithelium with Adenovirus-Cre: A Novel Transgenic Mouse Model of Breast Cancer07:13

Initiation of Metastatic Breast Carcinoma by Targeting of the Ductal Epithelium with Adenovirus-Cre: A Novel Transgenic Mouse Model of Breast Cancer

Published on: March 26, 2014

24.0K

Related Concept Videos

Mutations01:39

Mutations

Overview
94.5K
Mutations01:35

Mutations

Mutations are changes in the sequence of DNA. These changes can occur spontaneously or they can be induced by exposure to environmental factors. Mutations can be characterized in a number of different ways: whether and how they alter the amino acid sequence of the protein, whether they occur over a small or large area of DNA, and whether they occur in somatic cells or germline cells.
Chromosomal Alterations Are Large-Scale Mutations
While point mutations are changes in a single nucleotide in...
44.6K
Treatment Resistant Cancers02:56

Treatment Resistant Cancers

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. A cancer cell is genetically unstable and hence can mutate faster. They can also modify their microenvironment and escape immune surveillance. The difficulties in treating cancer are further compounded by the emergence of rapid resistance to anticancer drugs. The most common ways to attain resistance in cancer cells include alteration in drug transport and metabolism, modification of drug target, elevated DNA damage response, or...
3.8K
Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell02:21

Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell

Cancer arises from mutations in the critical genes that allow healthy cells to escape cell cycle regulation and acquire the ability to proliferate indefinitely. Though originating from a single mutation event in one of the originator cells, cancer progresses when the mutant cell lines continue to gain more and more mutations, and finally, become malignant. For example, chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) develops initially as a non-lethal increase in white blood cells, which progressively...
14.9K
Viral Mutations00:36

Viral Mutations

A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material...
39.9K
Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift01:09

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).
64.5K