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Olaparib
Source: Pancreatic Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: February 12, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
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Olaparib (a PARP inhibitor) maintenance therapy can be considered for patients with germline BRCA1/BRCA2 variants and metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma who have responded to first-line platinum-based therapy for more than 4 months.
Evidence (olaparib):
POLO trial (NCT02184195): A multicenter, phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that included 154 patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma with germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 variants whose disease had not progressed after 16 weeks of first-line platinum-based chemotherapy.[14][Level of evidence B1] The patients were assigned 3:2 to receive olaparib (300 mg twice daily) or placebo and were assessed for PFS.
Source links and citations
POLO trial (NCT02184195): A multicenter, phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that included 154 patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma with germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 variants whose disease had not progressed after 16 weeks of first-line platinum-based chemotherapy.[14][Level of evidence B1] The patients were assigned 3:2 to receive olaparib (300 mg twice daily) or placebo and were assessed for PFS.
Of 3,315 patients screened, 247 patients were identified with germline BRCA variants.
POLO trial (NCT02184195): A multicenter, phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that included 154 patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma with germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 variants whose disease had not progressed after 16 weeks of first-line platinum-based chemotherapy.[14][Level of evidence B1] The patients were assigned 3:2 to receive olaparib (300 mg twice daily) or placebo and were assessed for PFS.
The median PFS was 7.4 months in the olaparib arm and 3.8 months in the placebo arm (HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.35‒0.82; P = .004)
POLO trial (NCT02184195): A multicenter, phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that included 154 patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma with germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 variants whose disease had not progressed after 16 weeks of first-line platinum-based chemotherapy.[14][Level of evidence B1] The patients were assigned 3:2 to receive olaparib (300 mg twice daily) or placebo and were assessed for PFS.
Median OS was 18.9 months in the olaparib group and 18.1 months in the placebo arm (HR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.56‒1.46; P = .68).
POLO trial (NCT02184195): A multicenter, phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that included 154 patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma with germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 variants whose disease had not progressed after 16 weeks of first-line platinum-based chemotherapy.[14][Level of evidence B1] The patients were assigned 3:2 to receive olaparib (300 mg twice daily) or placebo and were assessed for PFS.
There were more grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events with olaparib (40%) compared with placebo (23%).
Studies cited in this source section
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Preserved source evidence · Not medical advice