BARD1: Options for Cancer Treatment

Cancer Treatment for People with Inherited BARD1 Mutations

Inherited BARD1 mutations may affect treatment options or eligibility for clinical trials studying which treatments work best. The following are examples of situations where a BARD1 mutation may affect cancer treatment decisions. 

Targeted therapies and BARD1 mutations

PARP inhibitors are a type of targeted therapy that work by blocking a protein used to repair damaged DNA. People with a BARD1 mutation who have been diagnosed with cancer may want to ask their doctor about whether they might benefit from a clinical trial or treatment with a PARP inhibitor. 

Metastatic prostate cancer

The PARP inhibitor, Lynparza (olaparib) has FDA-approval to treat metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer in people who have a mutation in BARD1 or other genes linked to a certain type of DNA damage repair. 

Advanced ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer

Several PARP inhibitors have been approved to treat ovarian cancers at different stages of the disease. In some situations, a tumor biomarker test known as an HRD test ("homologous recombination deficiency") can help identify which ovarian cancers may respond to treatment with a PARP inhibitor.

Maintenance therapy after first-line treatment

• HRD testing can help women with advanced ovarian cancer learn if they may benefit from the PARP inhibitor, Lynparza (olaparib) in combination with Avastin (bevacizumab) as maintenance therapy after first-line platinum chemotherapy.
• Zejula (niraparib) is approved for maintenance therapy in women with advanced ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who had a complete or partial response to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy. Zejula for maintenance therapy does not require an HRD test. 

Maintenance therapy after treatment of recurrent cancer

• Zejula, Rubraca (rucaparib) and Lynparza are all approved for maintenance therapy in women with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are in a complete or partial response to platinum based chemotherapy. In this setting, none of these drugs requires an HRD test. 

PARP inhibitors or other targeted therapies for advanced cancers with no other treatment options

If you have a BARD1 mutation and advanced cancer that no longer responds to standard therapy, talk with your doctor about tumor testing to learn whether you might benefit from a PARP inhibitor, another targeted therapy or participation in a clinical trial. 

To learn more about treatment options for specific types of cancer, visit our section on Cancer Treatment by Cancer Type. 

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