The emerging role of PARP inhibitors in prostate cancer: A narrative review.

Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most common cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer mortality in men, worldwide. Genomic analysis identified alterations in DNA damage repair (DDR) pathways, in up to 30% of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Homologous recombination repair (HRR) mutations in BRCA1/2 emerged as a relevant biomarker in PC, linked to aggressive behavior, unfavorable outcomes and notable responses to poly-ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi). While PARPi efficacy in BRCA-mutated mCRPC is well established, their role in earlier disease stages is currently under investigation. This non-systematic narrative review aims to summarize current evidence on PARPi in PC, outlining approved indications, ongoing clinical trials, and emerging therapeutic strategies across different disease settings.