Olaparib is approved to treat: 1. Breast cancer that has metastasized (spread to other parts of the body). It is used in patients with certain mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes who have HER2-negative cancer that has been treated with chemotherapy given before or after surgery or for metastatic disease. 2. Ovarian cancer that is advanced. It is used in patients with certain mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes who have already been treated with at least three other types of chemotherapy.
Olaparib is a PARP inhibitor, a drug that blocks proteins—called PARP—that help repair damaged DNA. Because BRCA mutations also hinder DNA repair, further inhibiting this process with olaparib can cause cancer cells that carry a BRCA mutation to die.
