Olaparib improves pain and health-related quality of life in metastatic prostate cancer

According to a clinical trial published in The Lancet. Oncology – it was found that Olaparib was associated with reduced pain burden and better-preserved health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

This was an open-label, randomised, phase 3 study was performed to assess pain and HRQOL measures of olaparib tablets. The significantly improved radiographical progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was established in the previous PROfound study. The current study included adult patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and gene alterations to one of 15 genes (BRCA1, BRCA2, or ATM [cohort A] and BRIP1, BARD1, CDK12, CHEK1, CHEK2, FANCL, PALB2, PPP2R2A, RAD51B, RAD51C, RAD51D, and RAD54L [cohort B]) and disease progression after a previous next-generation hormonal drug. The patients were randomly assigned (2:1) to receive olaparib tablets and a control drug.

In cohort A (n = 245; olaparib group = 162; control group 83), median time to pain progression was significantly longer with olaparib than with control. Pain interference scores were also better in olaparib group. The median time to first opiate use for cancer-related pain was 18.0 months in the olaparib group versus 7.5 months in the control group.

The findings of this study show significant and improved radiographical progression-free survival and overall survival with olaparib in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.