| A PARP is also known as a Poly (ADP-ribose) | | | | PARP Inhibitors are currently being trialled for use |
| polymerase and it repairs damage done to our | | | | in ovarian, breast and prostate cancer and are |
| body, it is a useful function and basically a PARP | | | | being trialled targeting mutations in the BRCA1 and |
| enzyme regulates our body, repairing damaged | | | | BRCA2 genes. One of the reasons this drug is |
| DNA. Usually this is a normal function which stops | | | | such a promising target is that it has shown |
| cell death however Doctor de Bono and his | | | | significant anti-tumor effects and yet has caused |
| colleagues have done research to suggest that | | | | no side effects (doesn't appear needed for |
| cancer cells may use PARP repair method to their | | | | general healthy functioning) for those that have |
| advantage. | | | | received the parp inhibitors. If PARP trials prove |
| An inhibitor cancer drug is a new type of cancer | | | | to be successful this may be one of the most |
| treatment which inhibits (stops) a function that | | | | exciting cancer treatments we have seen for a |
| cancer uses to its advantage. One of these is the | | | | long time. |
| PARP function. Currently PARP inhibitor clinical trials | | | | Currently one woman on the trial has shown a full |
| are featuring two parp drugs named BSI 201 | | | | recovery from advanced PARP breast cancer, |
| (BiPar Sciences) and Olaparib (Astra Zeneca). | | | | whilst this is not a cure for cancer it has shown |
| These PARP inhibitors are in phase two trials and | | | | promising early signs in one third of those treated |
| have been proclaimed to be a major | | | | has reduced the size of tumors. |
| breakthrough in cancer research. | | | | |