Overview
This study investigated real-world treatment patterns in US patients with early-stage, HER2-negative breast cancer who have germline BRCA mutations (gBRCAm). The research aimed to understand the use of adjuvant olaparib, a PARP inhibitor, in this patient population, particularly focusing on how treatment decisions align with established criteria and the sequencing of therapies.
Using data from Flatiron Health EHR-derived Panoramic database comprised of >940K patients with breast cancer, the team analyzed data on nearly 2,000 patients to describe demographics, clinical characteristics, and neoadjuvant/adjuvant treatment patterns across different tumor subtypes and disease risk statuses.
Why this matters
The findings reveal that over 40% of eligible patients with gBRCAm, high-risk HER2-negative breast cancer did not receive adjuvant olaparib, highlighting a critical gap in treatment uptake. The study also observed that real-world olaparib use extended beyond the high-risk criteria defined in the OlympiA trial, suggesting the need for broader risk assessments in clinical practice. These insights underscore the need for further research into long-term outcomes based on treatment choices, which can help optimize treatment plans and timing to ensure patients with gBRCAm early breast cancer receive the most effective care.