OLIO breast cancer trials are set to investigate innovative treatment options for young women diagnosed with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer – the most common form of breast cancer. Despite the availability of effective treatments, breast cancer tends to recur more often in younger women, leading to poorer outcomes, and researchers are now working to uncover why.
The OLIO trial, spearheaded by Breast Cancer Trials (BCT), will test whether the addition of the medications olaparib and durvalumab to standard chemotherapy could improve the chances of controlling the cancer before surgery. The trial specifically targets premenopausal women aged 18 to 44 who have HR-positive, HER2-negative, and HRD-positive breast cancer.
Why young women face poorer outcomes
Younger women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer tend to experience more aggressive forms of the disease, leading to higher recurrence rates and a greater risk of death. Although researchers remain unclear about the reasons behind this, they believe that the presence of HRD-positive tumour cells plays a significant role.
HRD-positive means that the tumour cells have a defect in their DNA repair process, making them more vulnerable to certain treatments. This is where the trial’s key medications – olaparib and durvalumab – come in.
The power of olaparib and durvalumab
Olaparib is a PARP inhibitor, a type of drug that works by blocking the DNA repair mechanisms in cancer cells, preventing them from fixing damage and leading to their destruction. This effect is particularly strong in HRD-positive tumour cells, which already struggle with DNA repair.
Durvalumab, on the other hand, is an immune checkpoint inhibitor, designed to enhance the body’s immune response to cancer. Cancer cells can often block the immune system from attacking them, but durvalumab prevents this, allowing the immune system to target the tumour more effectively.
Together, olaparib and durvalumab may not only damage the tumour cells but also boost the body’s immune response, offering a two-pronged approach to treatment.
Hope for the future
Led by Dr. Stephen Luen, the OLIO trial is part of a wider effort to explore more tailored and effective treatments for younger women with breast cancer. With support from the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund and SOPHiA GENETICS, the trial aims to enrol 50 participants across 21 sites in Australia. It will also collect biological samples to support future research into young women’s breast cancer.
If successful, OLIO could offer new hope for young women battling this aggressive disease and pave the way for more personalised treatment options.
For more information, visit Breast Cancer Trials’ website.
