PARCC - shaping the future of cancer prevention for people with inherited risk content
How can we help reduce risk of cancer for people with inherited genetic variants?
PARCC, a pioneering first-of-its-kind study, is exploring whether people with an inherited genetic risk of cancer would consider taking drugs called PARP inhibitors as a way of reducing their risk of developing cancer.
Funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research, the study is led by Dr Stephanie Archer from the University of Cambridge and will involve more than 1,300 people from Yorkshire. They will take part in research to explore whether PARP inhibitors – already used to treat cancer - could become a new option for reducing cancer risk in those who carry particular inherited genetic variants.
Why is the PARCC study needed?
Nearly 17,000 people in Yorkshire are estimated to carry inherited changes in the BRCA1, BRCA2 or PALB2 genes, which can increase the risk of developing cancers such as breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancer.
These genes play an important role in repairing damaged DNA and prevent cells from growing or dividing in an uncontrolled way. When inherited variants affect how well this process works, damaged cells can grow and multiply, and over time they may develop into cancer.
Current risk-reduction options can be limited and involve major surgery or hormone-blocking medicines, which may not be suitable for everyone.
For those at higher genetic risk of pancreatic or prostate cancer, there are even fewer options available to reduce that risk. Instead, surveillance and monitoring are often recommended to support early detection, alongside lifestyle-measures such as avoiding alcohol and stopping smoking.
What will the PARCC study aim to address?
PARP inhibitors are already widely used to treat cancers linked to BRCA genetic changes.
The PARCC study aims to understand how people with these inherited variants feel about taking PARP inhibitors as a new option to help reduce cancer risk. It will explore what benefits, risks and practical considerations would matter most to them when considering this type of treatment.
The findings will be crucial in determining whether a clinical trial testing PARP inhibitors as a cancer prevention treatment could be developed in the future.
Quote from Beth Elias
Using PARP inhibitors to prevent cancer is an exciting prospect. How incredible would it be for Yorkshire to play a key role in research that could go on to benefit people across the world? Carrying a BRCA gene variant can feel isolating, but this research gives me hope more options for cancer prevention could be available in the future.”
Beth has a family history of cancer which prompted her and her two sisters to undergo genetic testing to find out whether they carried an inherited gene variant linked to the disease. Her sisters tested negative, unfortunately Beth is now living with inherited cancer risk and is under the care of specialists in Bradford as she considers how best to manage this risk.
Leading the trial
Dr Stephanie Archer
Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Cambridge
Quote from Dr Stephanie Archer
This study will help us understand what matters most to people with inherited cancer risk, what benefits and risks they would consider acceptable, and what information they would need to make informed decisions about taking part in future research. Those insights will be crucial for designing any future prevention trials."
