Combination maintenance therapy may benefit some people with metastatic pancreatic cancer
https://www.facingourrisk.org/XRAY/pembrolizumab-olaparib-pancreatic-cancer
Full article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-026-04299-5#Abs1
The phase 2 POLAR trial tested maintenance therapy with Keytruda (pembrolizumab) and Lynparza (olaparib) in metastatic pancreatic cancer patients whose disease had not worsened after platinum-based chemotherapy. Maintenance therapy is treatment given after initial treatment to help control cancer and delay it from growing or spreading. Although the study did not meet its main goals and included only a small number of participants, some people with a BRCA1, BRCA2, or PALB2 mutation had long-lasting benefit. (posted 08/27/2026)
By: Piri Welcsh, PhD
Questions To Ask Your Health Care Provider
- Should I have genetic testing to look for an inherited mutation in BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2 or other cancer-related gene?
- Has my tumor been tested for mutations or biomarkers that may guide treatment?
- Was my cancer sensitive to chemotherapy?
- Would a PARP inhibitor, such as olaparib, be appropriate for me?
- Are there clinical trials of PARP inhibitors, immunotherapy or other targeted treatments that I should consider?
- What side effects should I expect from pembrolizumab, olaparib or combination therapy?
About FORCE
FORCE is a national nonprofit organization, established in 1999. Our mission is to improve the lives of individuals and families affected by adult hereditary cancers.