Nearly everyone knows someone affected by cancer, and especially breast cancer, one of the biggest killers for female cancers.
So what is a Parp Inhibitor?
According the the NCI (National Cancer Institute) a Parp Inhibitor is "a small molecule inhibitor nuclear enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) with potential chemosensitizing, radiosensitizing, and antineoplastic activities. PARP inhibitor AZD2281 selectively binds to and inhibits PARP, inhibiting PARP-mediated repair of single strand DNA breaks; PARP inhibition may enhance the cytotoxicity of DNA-damaging agents and may reverse tumor cell chemoresistance and radioresistance. PARP catalyzes post-translational ADP-ribosylation of nuclear proteins and can be activated by single-stranded DNA breaks".
So why it's importance for breast cancer?
According to current research, using Parp Inhibitors demonstrated significant ani-tumor actovity with patients with BRCA 1 & BRCA 2 mutations.
Almost two thirds showed a clinical benefit in the trials. Befis were also not limited only to breast cancer sufferers either. People with ovarian and prostate cancer also showed a benefit.
Could this signify a chang in the way that we trat cancer? It could certainly lead to thedevelopment of anti-drug therapy.
The study was supported by KuDOS Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of AstraZeneca. Additional support was provided by Cancer Research U.K., the Experimental Cancer Medicine Center, the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Center, and Breakthrough Breast Cancer.
Co-authors Andrew Tutt, Mark J. O'Connor, Alan Ashworth, and Stan B. Kaye reported financial relationships with KuDOS or AstraZeneca. Co-authors included employees of KuDOS and AstraZeneca.
