PARP Inhibitor Olaparib and Its Combination Therapy in Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis

We reviewed the published studies comparing different treatment options using the drug olaparib (alone or combined with other therapies) for advanced prostate cancer that has spread and no longer responds to standard hormone therapy (metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer). We found evidence that the effectiveness of olaparib depends significantly on specific genetic features of the cancer. For patients whose cancer has changes in the <i>BRCA</i> genes, the combination of olaparib and the drug abiraterone was more effective in delaying cancer growth and improving survival than olaparib alone. For patients with changes in other related DNA repair genes (but not <i>BRCA</i>), olaparib alone was an effective treatment. This information may assist doctors and patients in choosing the most suitable treatment based on the cancer's genetic characteristics.