Faculty Sponsor

Jana Stedman

College

College of Nursing & Health Professions (CONHP)

Department/Program

Physician Assistant Studies

Presentation Type

Poster Presentation

Symposium Date

Summer 7-22-2026

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors as adjunctive therapy in patients with germline BRCA1/2-mutated, HER2-negative breast cancer by assessing their effects on invasive disease-free survival (IDFS), distant disease-free survival (DDFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) compared with standard therapy.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar to identify studies published within the past five years evaluating PARP inhibitors in BRCA1/2-mutated breast cancer. Included studies evaluated women with germline BRCA1/2 mutations and HER2-negative early-stage or metastatic breast cancer. Studies involving HER2-positive disease, male patients, or non-BRCA-associated breast cancer were excluded.

Results: Two phase III randomized controlled trials, two meta-analyses, and one clinical review were included. Adjuvant olaparib significantly improved IDFS and DDFS in high-risk early-stage breast cancer compared with placebo, demonstrating durable reductions in recurrence and distant metastasis. Meta-analyses demonstrated significant improvements in PFS in metastatic disease and emerging evidence of a modest, time-dependent OS benefit. PARP inhibitors were generally well tolerated, with anemia, thrombocytopenia, fatigue, and gastrointestinal symptoms representing the most common adverse effects. Evidence also suggests potential expansion of PARP inhibitor therapy beyond BRCA mutations to other homologous recombination deficiency biomarkers.

Conclusion: PARP inhibitors provide clinically meaningful improvements in disease-free and progression-free survival for appropriately selected patients with germline BRCA1/2-mutated breast cancer, with growing evidence of an overall survival benefit. Continued research is needed to define long-term outcomes, optimize patient selection, and expand biomarker-directed therapy.

Keywords: BRCA1/2, PARP inhibitors, early-stage, metastatic, breast cancer

Biographical Information about Author(s)

Kenzee Koselke has an anticipated graduation date of July 2026 from the Valparaiso

University Physician Assistant Program. She has a special interest in pursuing a career in emergency medicine or dermatology in Northwest Indiana following graduation. Throughout her clinical rotations, she found the fast-paced environment and diverse pathology of emergency medicine, as well as the procedural skills and continuity of care in dermatology, to be especially rewarding. She values building meaningful relationships with patients, earning their trust, and providing compassionate, evidence-based care. As a new graduate, Kenzee is excited to continue learning, growing, and serving her community as a dedicated healthcare provider. Kenzee will be presenting her graduate project on the role of PARP inhibitors for women with early-stage breast cancer who carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. Her interest in this topic stems from a passion for personalized medicine and the potential for targeted therapies to improve outcomes and reduce recurrence in patients with hereditary breast cancer.

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