PARP Inhibitors – Optimising PRRT efficacy
Background Medical researchers are increasingly exploring radiosensitisation—a cutting-edge oncology strategy that uses targeted drugs to make cancer cells more vulnerable to radiation. A prime example of this is combining Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT) with Poly-ADP Ribose Polymerase (PARP) inhibitors to treat neuroendocrine tumours. Lutathera LU177 dotatate delivers targeted beta-particle radiation directly to tumour cells expressing somatostatin receptors, causing single-stranded DNA breaks. Under normal circumstances, the cancer cells use a backup enzyme called PARP to patch up these breaks and survive. By introducing a PARP inhibitor, researchers can intentionally block this emergency repair mechanism. Unable to mend themselves, the single-stranded…