PARP inhibitor
Pronunciation: PARP in-HIB-ih-tor
Also written as: PARP — Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase
A class of targeted therapy drugs that block DNA repair enzymes, particularly effective in BRCA-mutated cancers.
Full Definition
PARP inhibitors are a class of anticancer drugs that target poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase enzymes, which play crucial roles in DNA repair mechanisms. These agents exploit the concept of synthetic lethality, particularly in tumors with deficient homologous recombination repair, such as those with BRCA mutations. When PARP is inhibited in BRCA-deficient cells, the accumulated DNA damage leads to cell death. Common PARP inhibitors include olaparib, niraparib, and rucaparib, which have shown significant efficacy in ovarian and breast cancers with BRCA mutations.
Usage
Usage note: PARP is always capitalized; hyphenate as PARP inhibitor, not PARP-inhibitor.
In Context
- "The patient was started on maintenance therapy with a PARP inhibitor following platinum-sensitive recurrence." — Treatment plan
- "PARP inhibitor therapy demonstrated significant progression-free survival benefit in the BRCA-mutated cohort." — Clinical trial report