Intermediate
Technical
In the Industry Vocabulary Test
PARP inhibitor
A targeted therapy that blocks PARP enzymes, preventing DNA repair in cancer cells with BRCA mutations.
Full Definition
Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors are a class of targeted cancer drugs that block PARP enzymes responsible for DNA repair. They are particularly effective in cancers with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, where cancer cells cannot repair DNA damage through homologous recombination. This creates synthetic lethality, where the combination of PARP inhibition and existing DNA repair defects leads to cancer cell death. PARP inhibitors represent a key example of precision oncology's approach to exploiting specific molecular vulnerabilities.
Usage
Usage note: Always hyphenate; avoid abbreviating in patient-facing materials
In Context
- "The patient's BRCA2-positive ovarian cancer showed excellent response to PARP inhibitor maintenance therapy." — Treatment plan documentation
- "Resistance to PARP inhibitors can develop through secondary BRCA mutations that restore protein function." — Clinical research report
Also known as
PARPi
poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor
Don't confuse with
PARP protein
DNA polymerase inhibitor