The newly licensed drug Olaparib is the first commercial drug to address inherited cancer mutations. While it has had encouraging progress in tackling ovarian cancer among women who have faulty tumor suppressor genes (BRCA), men with prostate cancer may also have a reason to celebrate.
Milestone findings from a recent trial of this drug by the Institute of Cancer Research have made apparent its capacity to interrupt treatment-resistant tumour growth among men with prostate cancer.
Professor Johann de Bono, who is chief investigator in London's Institute of Cancer Research, relates: "Our trial marks a significant step forward in the treatment of prostate cancer, showing that olaparib is highly effective at treating men with DNA repair defects in their tumours.
"It also proves the principle that we can detect prostate cancers with specific targetable mutations using genomic sequencing to deliver more precise cancer care by matching treatment to those men most likely to benefit.
The trial was administered on 49 prostate cancer patients. Of these, one-third displayed an arrest in cancer growth. A significant reduction in the numbers of circulating tumour cells in the blood was observed in this third. Blood marker levels for prostate cancer tracking, PSA levels, took as much as a 96% dive. Scan results were also clinically favourable.
From the test patients, 16 were determined to have defects in genes that assist in the repair of damaged DNA, including BRCA 1 and 2. With the positive response from 14 of these cases, the second phase of the trial will focus the test of this gene-targeting pill on prostate cancer patients who have similar gene faults.
Successful tests may usher the formalisation of Olaparib as a new option for treating genetically-driven advanced prostate cancer in men.
While the list price of the drug is daunting at £4,740 per month, Olaparib is also still yet to be approved for use on women with ovarian cancer by the NHS, by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) or the Cancer Drugs Fund.
