Rucaparib's Impact on Progression-Free Survival in Uterine Cancer Patients

A multisite clinical trial offers promising outcomes for patients with metastatic and recurrent uterine cancer, also known as endometrial cancer. Presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, the study compiled data from 79 patients across four U.S. sites over several years. Results demonstrate that the oral drug rucaparib, a PARP inhibitor, significantly prolongs progression-free survival by an average of 19 months compared to surveillance alone. Surveillance is the current standard of care for uterine cancer patients who have completed the chemotherapy phase of their treatment. “This phase 2 randomized placebo controlled trial examined the use of rucaparib versus placebo as a maintenance therapy for patients who had one or two prior lines of chemotherapy,” says Corr, associate professor and director of clinical research for the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at the CU School of Medicine (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
A phase II, randomized, double-blind study of the use of rucaparib vs placebo maintenance therapy in metastatic and recurrent endometrial cancer.

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Rucaparib Significantly Extends Progression-Free Survival in Uterine Cancer Patients

“What we were able to demonstrate is that we improved patients’ progression-free survival, meaning time without recurrence or progression, by an average of 19 months. Patients on placebo had a progression-free survival of nine months, whereas it was 28 months for those who had received rucaparib. This is very significant for our patients and for their care.”

Corr says the unfortunate reality of uterine/endometrial cancer is that the disease eventually returns in most people who present with later stage disease. However, the use of rucaparib, a drug already approved for use in breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer, extends the time before patients experience recurrence. There are currently no approved maintenance therapies for metastatic and recurrent endometrial cancer.

“In other tumors, PARP inhibitor responses are typically tied to BRCA gene mutations or mutations in the tumor called homologous recombination deficiency,” Corr says. “We suspect there are alternative DNA damage pathways that make endometrial cancer susceptible to PARP inhibition as well.”

For the next step in their research, Corr and his team plan to perform a full molecular analysis of the tumors and patients involved with the trial. They want not only to identify the patients who benefited from rucaparib treatment, but also to learn more about the patients who didn't benefit from the therapy.

Endometrial, or uterine, cancer affects more than 60,000 women in the U.S. each year. It is one of the few cancers in which incidence is increasing. Survival for early-stage endometrial cancer remains high at more than 80%; however, survival rates for advanced uterine cancer decrease substantially.

Reference:

1. A phase II, randomized, double-blind study of the use of rucaparib vs placebo maintenance therapy in metastatic and recurrent endometrial cancer - (https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.2023.41.16_suppl.TPS5626)

Source-Eurekalert