A recent clinical trial investigated olaparib’s effects on patients with HER2-negative, BRCA-mutated early breast cancer, focusing on fatigue. Results showed temporary tiredness and nausea with no lasting impact on overall well-being.
The OlympiA trial was a large study aimed at comparing the effects of the drug olaparib (OL) with a placebo (PL) in patients who have mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, do not have the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (often abbreviated as HER2).
These patients are generally considered high-risk after completing their initial cancer treatments, which include chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy.
The goal was to find out if patients taking olaparib would feel more tired (a condition known as fatigue) during their treatment compared to those taking a placebo. The researchers also looked at other side effects like nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and how welll the patients were able to function in their daily lives.
To measure these effects, the study collected data from the patients at several points in time: before they started treatment, and then at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after starting. The main way they measured fatigue was with a specific questionnaire designed to assess fatigue in people with chronic illnesses. They also used another questionnaire to assess other side effects and how the patients’ quality of life was affected.
The study included 1,538 patients. The results showed that patients taking olaparib did feel more tired than those taking the placebo, but the difference was not considered big enough to be meaningful according to the criteria set by the researchers. This was observed at 6 and 12 months but not at 18 and 24 months, meaning any increased fatigue did not last in the long term. Nausea and vomiting were also worse for patients on olaparib at 6 and 12 months.
However, despite these side effects, the study found that the overall ability of patients to function in their daily lives and their general health status were similar whether they took olaparib or the placebo. These aspects even slowly improved over the 24 months following their initial cancer treatments.
At this stage, this all does suggest that olaparib is a viable option for adjuvant therapy in this specific group of breast cancer patients, and notably, with manageable side effects.
