A Phase II Study of Olaparib or Placebo in Patients with Surgically Removed Pancreatic Cancer Who Have a BRCA1, BRCA2 or PALB2 Mutation

Full Title

APOLLO: A Randomized Phase II Double-Blind Study of Olaparib versus Placebo Following Curative Intent Therapy in Patients with Resected Pancreatic Cancer and a Pathogenic BRCA1, BRCA2 or PALB2 Mutation (NCI)

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to see if one year of treatment with olaparib is better than observation alone in patients who had pancreatic cancer surgically removed and who have mutations in the BRCA1, BRCA2 or PALB2 genes. Olaparib is a type of anticancer medication called a PARP inhibitor, which may slow down the process cancer cells use to repair their DNA. Cancer cells need to repair their DNA to survive and grow.

Olaparib is an oral medication (given by mouth) that is already used to treat several cancers, including metastatic BRCA-mutated pancreatic cancer; its use in this study is considered investigational. Patients in this study will be randomly assigned to receive olaparib or a placebo.