Efficacy and Safety of Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors in Combination with Chemotherapy for Advanced Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Purpose To comprehensively evaluate the efficacy and safety of combining poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors with chemotherapy in patients with advanced breast cancer. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and ClinicalTri...

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Main Authors: Qiuhua Duan MM, Yue Feng MM, Lichen Cao MM, Lijun Hu PhD, Jianlin Wang PhD, Fei Sun PhD, Qinghong Meng, Mengyun Zhou MM, Jingping Yu PhD, Haiyan Gao PhD
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2025-06-01
Series:Technology in Cancer Research & Treatment
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/15330338251350630
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Summary:Purpose To comprehensively evaluate the efficacy and safety of combining poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors with chemotherapy in patients with advanced breast cancer. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating PARP inhibitor-chemotherapy combinations. Studies reporting progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), overall response rate (ORR), and safety outcomes were included. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed independently by two reviewers, and a meta-analysis was conducted using random-effects models. Results Of 970 studies retrieved, four RCTs involving 1064 patients met the inclusion criteria. PARP inhibitors combined with chemotherapy significantly improved PFS (hazard ratio [HR] 0.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.63-0.84, P  < .0001) and showed a trend towards improved OS (HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.79-1.09, P  = .36), though this was not statistically significant. There was no significant improvement in ORR (RR 1.08, 95% CI 0.98-1.20, P  = .13). Regarding safety, no significant difference was observed in all grades or grade 3-4 adverse events (AEs) overall, but the combination therapy was associated with an increased risk of anemia, nausea, and diarrhea (RRs ranging from 1.14 to 1.29, all P  < .01). Conclusion PARP inhibitor combined with chemotherapy is an effective option for the treatment of patients with advanced breast cancer, but its potential increased risks of specific AEs need to be weighed. Clinicians should make individualized treatment plans according to the specific conditions of patients, comprehensive consideration of efficacy and safety.
ISSN:1533-0338