Maintenance treatment with the PARP inhibitor rucaparib (Rubraca) greatly improved progression-free survival in patients with recurrent or metastatic endometrial cancer after first- or second-line chemotherapy, according to a phase 2 study.
Patients receiving rucaparib had a median progression-free survival of 28.1 months compared with 8.7 months for those given a placebo, representing a 55% lower risk of disease progression or death. Median overall survival was not reached in the rucaparib group but was 28.4 months with placebo.
The treatment was generally safe, with common side effects including nausea, fatigue, and anemia. Severe side effects occurred in 36% of patients on rucaparib compared with 7.5% on placebo.
Researchers concluded that rucaparib maintenance therapy provides meaningful benefits in delaying disease progression and called for larger phase 3 trials to confirm these results.