Homologous recombination deficiency: New biomarkers in innovative treatments

Excerpt

Homologous recombination (HR) is a key DNA repair mechanism that is essential for maintaining genome stability. It is characterized by its high fidelity and efficiency, and represents the pivotal repair mechanism for DNA double-strand breaks. Although known for years, its potential role as a therapeutic target has only recently been elucidated: malignant breast and ovarian tumors with mutations in the breast cancer susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2, two genes that are quintessential members of the homologous recombination repair (HRR) pathway, have been demonstrated to be particularly sensitive to poly-ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi), such as talazoparib and olaparib. In addition, BRCA-associated HR deficiency (HRD) renders tumors particularly sensitive to platinum-based chemotherapy. …