A systematic review and network meta-analysis protocol has been developed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of various PARP (poly-ADP ribose polymerase) inhibitors in patients with platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer. The study aims to address the question of which PARP inhibitor should be preferred in this setting, considering both efficacy and side effects.
Methods and Design
The network meta-analysis will include randomized, double-blind, controlled phase III trials of Niraparib, Rucaparib, Olaparib, or Veliparib in patients with platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer. Data will be sourced from PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform from 1990 to 2023.
The primary outcomes of interest are progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Secondary outcomes will focus on treatment-emergent adverse events of grade ≥3. Statistical analyses will be performed using STATA V.14.0 and RevMan software to assess the risk of bias. The quality of evidence will be determined using the GRADEpro GDT software.
Significance and Limitations
PARP inhibitors have demonstrated efficacy in treating patients with platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer, improving progression-free survival and overall survival. However, comprehensive evidence comparing different agents is lacking. This network meta-analysis seeks to provide a comparative assessment of these agents.
The study acknowledges that network meta-analyses do not carry the same weight of evidence as direct head-to-head trials. However, they serve as a valuable complementary method when direct comparative studies are not feasible. Trials involving platinum-resistant or refractory ovarian cancer will be excluded from the analysis.
The results of this systematic review and network meta-analysis are intended for publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals, conferences, and the mass media. This study is registered on the PROSPERO international prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO CRD42024511248).
