The FDA has approved rucaparib as a treatment for men who have advanced prostate cancer with mutated BRCA1/BRCA2 genes.
Prostate cancer is the number one cancer andthe second cause of cancer deaths among men in the USA. The mCRPC (metastatic, castrate-resistant prostate cancer) is incurable, but researchers are exploring possible treatment options.
Rucaparib falls under the PARP (Poly ADP-ribose polymerase) inhibitors class. The anti-cancer drugs target cancer cells with weakness, especially on how they repair their damaged DNA. The drugs have been used to treat ovarian cancer, and some inherited types of pancreatic and breast cancer.
mCRPC patients present poor outcomes when they use conventional treatment methods. Therefore, to treat patients with advanced prostate cancer, there needs to be personalized medicine. Twelve percent of patients with advanced prostate cancer have tumors with BRCA2/BRCA1 alteration. Therefore, the rucaparib FDA approval is exciting to patients, oncologists, and researchers.
The objective of the TRITON2 PHASE II study was to find out if rucaparib can effectively and safely treat men with mCRPC due to their genetic profile. The study participants included men who had completed chemotherapy and hormone therapy. The participants were given 600mg of rucaparib two times a day. The prostate-specific antigen levels in more than half the patients improved.
The researchers concluded that the anti-cancer drug had a similar safety profile with what they had experienced in other tumors. They, however, identified anemia as the most common side effect.
Research is underway to establish test combinations of PARP inhibitors with other experimental or conventional therapies to increase the number of mCRPC patients that benefit from the PARP inhibitor.
Patnaik, MD, Ph.D., and one of the research authors explains, “In a separate publication, we have demonstrated that additional non-BRCA1/2 mutations within the DNA repair pathway in mCRPC patients could confer sensitivity or resistance to PARP inhibitor rucaparib…. We still have a lot more to learn about which patients with additional genetically defined alterations in the DNA repair pathway will benefit most from this therapy.”
You Might Also Enjoy...
Struggles to get to the clinic? Trying to reduce your exposure to COVID-19, as well as other contagious illnesses, and still need to see your doctor? Telehealth is safe and easy — receive quality care from anywhere.
Leading cancer center network, Choice Cancer Care has launched its Virtual Oncology Clinic in partnership with ORA Oncology...
Irving, TX, Dec 10, 2020 –The emergence of COVID-19 early in the year has caused a health crisis worldwide. This has prompted all health facilities to redefine their methods of care delivery across the board.
The world is acknowledging gastric or stomach cancer awareness month this November. Unfortunately, the heralding of the many tireless efforts by those in the medical field to combat this disease often presents itself in its last stages.
Stomach cancer is also referred to as gastric cancer. It refers to an abnormal cell mass growing in any part of the stomach. Stomach cancer has the third-highest cancer-related mortality worldwide.
The month of November is global Pancreatic cancer awareness month. You can tell from the conspicuous purple colored theme.Many websites, oncology hospitals, and wellness centers have been branded with purple to help with awareness.
