Olaparib dose reduction in BRCA-mutated platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer recurrence: real-world data.

Serena Maria Boccia & Claudia Marchetti et al. · 2025

The poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase inhibitor olaparib has demonstrated significant efficacy in treating patients with BRCA-mutated patients with ovarian cancer. However, adverse events, particularly hematologic toxicities, often necessitate dose reduction or treatment interruption. Our study investigates the survival outcomes associated with olaparib dose reduction in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer in a real-world setting. We conducted a retrospective analysis on patients with BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer treated with olaparib in a recurrent setting from 2019 to 2022. Patients were categorized based on dose-reduction status: no reduction (olaparib 600 mg; group 1), dose reduction level 1 (olaparib 500 mg; group 2), and dose reduction level 2 (olaparib 400 mg; group 3). These dose levels were selected by current guideline-based protocols for olaparib dose modification. Primary endpoints were progression-free survival and overall survival, while secondary endpoints included comparing the reduction rates and safety between the 3 groups. Eighty-seven patients were included, with 45 (52%) receiving dose reduction. The median progression-free survival for patients on standard dose was 27 months, compared to 28 and 32 months for groups 2 and 3, respectively (HR 1.587, 95% CI 0.673 to 2.744, p = .323). The median overall survival was 44 months for group 1, 52 for group 2, and 43 for group 3 (HR 0.737, 95% CI 0.413 to 1.317, p = .296). Grade ≥3 adverse events occurred in 2 patients (4.7%) of group 1, leading to a dose interruption without a reduction. Fatigue (n = 15; 35.7%) and nausea (n = 14; 33.3%) have often been reported in patients on the standard dose group. In our cohort, olaparib dose reduction did not adversely affect oncological outcomes in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. These results suggest that a reduced dosing strategy is a viable option in patients experiencing treatment-related adverse events. However, these findings should be confirmed in larger clinical data.
Authors
Serena Maria Boccia, Matteo Bruno, Camilla Culcasi, Fiorenza Guida, Carolina Maria Sassu, Laura Vertechy, Adriana Ionelia Apostol, Giorgia Russo, Giovanni Scambia, Anna Fagotti, Claudia Marchetti