Olaparib is a poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor that is approved in the United States for patients with advanced breast cancer and advanced ovarian cancer. For patients receiving treatment for advanced cancer, fatigue and neuropathy―the latter in particular for those receiving platinum and/or taxanes―are among the most commonly reported adverse events.1 In this study, Ruiz-Schutz and colleagues performed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to characterize the risk for fatigue and neuropathy associated with the use of olaparib.
Nine studies representing 2074 patients with advanced ovarian, gastric, prostate, lung, or breast cancer were included in this analysis, with 908 (43.7%) patients receiving placebo/control treatments and 1166 (56.2%) receiving olaparib alone or in association with other active cancer treatments. Olaparib use was associated with increases in both all-grade fatigue (relative risk [RR], 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-1.39) and high fatigue (hazard ratio [HR], 1.55; 95% CI, 1.14-2.09), as well as increases in high-grade fatigue (HR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.06-2.77).
These results suggest that olaparib treatment is associated with an increased risk of fatigue. Given that fatigue is a very common treatment-related adverse event that can impair patients’ quality of life, it is important to identify it early and manage it accordingly to optimize overall treatment.
Reference
- Ruiz-Schutz, et al. ESMO 2018. Abstract 982P.