PARP Inhibitors in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Including Those With BRCA Mutations

Abstract

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is involved in single-strand DNA break base excision repair. PARP inhibition causes synthetic lethality in breast cancers associated with germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations and is routinely used in clinical practice for metastatic breast cancer. Breast cancers with homologous recombination deficiency or BRCAness, most commonly triple-negative breast cancers, may also benefit. Currently, PARP inhibitor use for triple-negative breast cancer with wild-type BRCA does not have definitive efficacy; however, this is an area of active research. Further clinical and translational data may identify additional patient populations that will benefit from PARP inhibitor therapy.