PARP Inhibitors in Pancreatic Cancer

Despite representing only 5% of all annual cancer diagnoses in the United States, pancreatic cancer is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer-related death within the next 10 years. Progress in the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer has been slow. Systemic therapies rely on combination cytotoxic agents, with limited options at progression. Recently, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors have demonstrated clinical activity in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer and pathogenic variants in BRCA1, BRCA2, and PALB2. In this review, we discuss the development of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors in pancreatic cancer, relevant clinical trials, and future directions.

Automated summary

Pancreatic cancer, only accounting for 5% of cancer diagnoses in the US, is expected to become the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the next decade. Progress in treating advanced pancreatic cancer has been slow, but recent studies show promise with poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors in patients with specific genetic mutations.