The OlympiAD trial: who won the gold?

OlympiAD was a phase 3 randomized controlled trial of a PARP inhibitor olaparib for metastatic HER2 negative breast cancer patients harboring a BRCA mutation. Although the OlympiAD trial met its primary endpoint, there are concerns regarding whether olaparib truly improves meaningful outcomes for these patients. In this editorial, I examine these issues in detail. An exploration of these issues will provide important educational insights for oncologists and cancer policy makers. I conclude that although olaparib seems to have won the Gold with OlympiAD, the patients probably have not. We need to stop celebrating a gold-plated bronze as a true gold so that one day our patients can finally get the gold they deserve.