Olaparib is an oral targeted medicine that blocks a DNA-repair enzyme, making it especially effective in cancers with certain faulty DNA-repair genes such as BRCA. It belongs to a class of medicines called PARP inhibitors, used across several cancer types including ovarian, breast, pancreatic, and prostate cancer. It is a prescription-only medicine.

• Therapeutic Class: Anti-cancer (oncology) targeted therapy.

• Pharmacological Class: PARP (poly ADP-ribose polymerase) inhibitor.

• Drug Family: Small-molecule DNA-damage-response inhibitors.

• ATC Classification: L01XK01 (Olaparib).

Approved: Maintenance treatment of BRCA-mutated advanced ovarian cancer (first-line and recurrent settings); germline BRCA-mutated HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer; germline BRCA-mutated metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (maintenance); and HRR gene-mutated or BRCA-mutated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (alone or combined with abiraterone and prednisone).

Commonly used for: Patients with these cancer types who test positive for a BRCA mutation or other homologous recombination repair (HRR) gene mutations, identified through companion diagnostic testing.

Off-label use (only under medical guidance): Being studied in other HRR-deficient solid tumours in clinical trials; not routine outside its approved indications.

● Oral tablets: 100 mg and 150 mg.

Cells with a faulty BRCA gene rely more heavily on an enzyme called PARP to repair everyday DNA damage. Olaparib blocks PARP, so these already-vulnerable cancer cells accumulate DNA damage they can't fix and die, while normal cells (with working BRCA genes) are relatively less affected.

• Standard dose: 300 mg (two 150 mg tablets) taken orally twice daily, with or without food.

• Condition-wise dose: For first-line maintenance treatment of BRCA-mutated advanced ovarian cancer, treatment generally continues until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or completion of 2 years.

• Route: Oral; tablets should be swallowed whole and not chewed, crushed, dissolved, or divided.

• Missed dose: Take the next dose at its scheduled time; don't double up.

• Overdose: May worsen known side effects such as nausea or low blood counts; requires medical attention.

• Common: Nausea, fatigue, vomiting, low blood counts (anaemia, low white cells, low platelets), and decreased appetite.

• Serious: Myelodysplastic syndrome/acute myeloid leukaemia (rare but serious blood cancers reported with long-term use), pneumonitis, and severe anaemia sometimes requiring transfusion.

• Emergency symptoms: New or worsening shortness of breath/cough, unusual bruising or bleeding, signs of infection with fever, or extreme fatigue that doesn't improve.

• Recovery advice: Nausea is common, especially early in treatment, and is often manageable with anti-nausea medicines; blood counts are checked regularly so that dose adjustments can be made before symptoms become severe.

Pregnancy: Not recommended; can cause fetal harm.

Breastfeeding: Not recommended during treatment and for 1 month after the last dose.

Liver disease: Used with caution; specific dose adjustment guidance depends on severity.

Kidney disease: Dose adjustment needed in moderate impairment; used cautiously in severe impairment.

Elderly: Used with routine monitoring; no specific age-based dose adjustment defined beyond general precautions.

Children: Not approved for use in children.

● Strong or moderate CYP3A inhibitors (e.g., ketoconazole, clarithromycin): significantly increase olaparib levels; dose reduction is recommended, or the interacting drug avoided.

● Strong or moderate CYP3A inducers (e.g., rifampin, carbamazepine): can substantially reduce olaparib's effectiveness; co-administration is not recommended.

● Other myelosuppressive drugs or radiotherapy: may increase the risk of low blood counts when combined.

● Live vaccines and immunosuppressants: used with caution given effects on blood counts and general immune status.

● Complete blood counts monthly for the first year, then periodically thereafter.

● Monitoring for symptoms of pneumonitis (new cough, shortness of breath).

● Renal and hepatic function tests periodically.

● Regular clinical review for treatment response and tolerability

Niraparib, Rucaparib, Talazoparib (other PARP inhibitors, indication and dosing specifics vary by cancer type).

Used as monotherapy maintenance in most approved indications; also approved in combination with abiraterone and prednisone/prednisolone for certain BRCA-mutated prostate cancers, and with bevacizumab in some ovarian cancer maintenance settings.

● Ovarian Cancer Medicines

● Breast Cancer Medicines

● Prostate Cancer Medicines

● PARP Inhibitors

1. World Ovarian Cancer Day

2. 10 Best Natural Treatments For PCOD/PCOS That Actually Work

3. GLP-1 for Heart Health, PCOS, Fatty Liver, and Metabolic Syndrome

1. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2020/208558s014lbl.pdf

2. https://www.merck.com/news/fda-approves-lynparza-olaparibplus-abiraterone-and-prednisone-or-prednisolone-for-treatment-of-adult-patients-with-brca-mutated-metastatic-castration-resistant-prostate-cancer-mcrpc/

The information on this page is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your oncologist to know if this treatment is appropriate for your condition.