Talazoparib

What is talazoparib?

Talazoparib (Talzenna®) is a type of targeted drug called a PARP inhibitor. A targeted drug is a type of medication that finds and stops processes in cancer cells that helps them to repair and grow.

PARP is a protein found in our cells and it helps to repair damaged DNA. Talazoparib works by blocking the effect of PARP. Without PARP, the damaged DNA can’t be repaired and the prostate cancer cells are more likely to die.

Talazoparib is used to treat men whose cancer has spread from the prostate to other parts of the body (advanced or metastatic prostate cancer) that has stopped responding to hormone therapy. Talazoparib won’t cure your prostate cancer, but it can help keep it under control and has been shown to help some men live longer.

Who can have talazoparib?

Talazoparib is a treatment for men with advanced prostate cancer that has stopped responding to hormone therapy. You may hear this called hormone-relapsed or castrate-resistant prostate cancer. This means your cancer is growing, even though your testosterone levels are being kept low by hormone therapies such as injections, implants, tablets or surgery to remove the testicles (orchidectomy).

Talazoparib is used alongside a type of hormone therapy called enzalutamide. This treatment will only be an option if:

• you are not suitable for, or do not want, chemotherapy
• you are not suitable for, or do not want, a type of hormone therapy called abiraterone.

If you have already been treated with abiraterone, olaparib, or chemotherapy, you will not be able to have talazoparib.

Other health problems and medicines

It is important to tell your doctor about any other health problems you have. You should also tell them of any other medicines you are taking or have taken recently. This includes any medicines taken without a prescription and herbal medicines. This is because talazoparib might affect how some other medicines work. And some other medicines might affect how well talazoparib works.

After discussing  your health problems and other medications, your doctor will then be able to help you understand  and decide if talazoparib is a suitable treatment option for you.

You may not be able to have talazoparib if you have problems with your liver. If you have problems with your kidneys, your doctor may change the amount (dose) of talazoparib you take.

Other treatment options

If talazoparib isn’t suitable for you, or if you choose not to have it, there may be other treatment options available. Read more about other treatment options for advanced prostate cancer or speak to your hospital medical team. They can also tell you about any clinical trials that might be suitable for you.

What does talazoparib treatment involve?

Talazoparib is usually taken as two tablets once a day. You should swallow the tablets whole with water. The tablets can be taken with or without food.

If you are having hormone therapy, you will continue having it at the same time as your talazoparib treatment, even if its stopped working, unless you have had surgery to remove the testicles.

You should not eat curcumin (found in certain supplements or in turmeric root) while taking talazoparib as it can affect the way the medicine works. But using dried turmeric spice in food is safe as it has lower levels of curcumin.

If talazoparib makes you feel tired, weak or dizzy, it is important that don’t drive or operate machinery.

How long will my treatment last?

You will have talazoparib until it stops working or if you get severe side effects.

You will have regular hospital appointments while taking talazoparib to check how well your treatment is working. How often you will have these appointments will depend on your hospital. You will probably have one hospital appointment every two to four weeks during the first year of treatment. After the first year, you will probably have hospital appointments every three months.

At these appointments, you will have several tests. What tests you have, and how often you have them will depend on your hospital. Your healthcare team will discuss this with you. They may include:

• a prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test
• blood tests to check for anaemia and any problems with your immune system, kidneys or liver
• blood pressure tests
• scans such as MRI, CT or bone scans.

Your doctor will talk to you about your test results and any changes to your treatment.

What are the side effects?

Like all treatments, talazoparib can cause side effects. These affect each person differently, and you’re unlikely to get all the possible side effects.

Before you start treatment, your hospital healthcare team will explain the possible side effects. Knowing what to expect can help you deal with them.

You can find out more information in the leaflet that comes with your medicine or on the Electronic Medicines Compendium (emc) website.

The most common possible side effects may include:  

• anaemia
• extreme tiredness (fatigue)
• feeling sick (nausea) and being sick (vomiting)
• blot clots in your veins (venous thromboembolism)
• indigestion or heartburn
• loss of appetite
• headache
• changes in the taste of food
• feeling dizzy
• cough
• shortness of breath
• diarrhoea
• hair loss.

Talazoparib can also cause a drop in the level of your white blood cells (neutropenia). This means your body is less able to fight off infections. It’s important to contact your hospital straight away if you think you might have an infection because it could make you very unwell.

It’s important to lower your chances of catching infections from other people. Try to avoid close contact with people who are ill or have an infection and make sure you wash your hands regularly. But you can still spend time with people who are well and it’s fine to have normal contact with your family and friends. It’s important to carry on doing things you enjoy with people you are close to.

Less common side effects

Talazoparib may increase your risk of getting another type of cancer called leukaemia (blood cancer), but this is very rare.

If you have any side effects from taking talazoparib, even if they’re not listed here or have any worries, speak to your healthcare team as soon as possible. They may offer you other treatments and support to help you manage any side effects.

Contraception

We don’t know if small amounts of talazoparib are passed on through semen. Your doctor or nurse may advise you to wear a condom during talazoparib treatment.

If there is a chance your partner could become pregnant, you and your partner must use contraception when having sex. You should use a condom, and your partner should use another suitable method of contraception while you are taking talazoparib, and for the next four months after taking your last dose.  

If your partner is pregnant, you must use a condom when having sex while you are taking talazoparib, and for four months after taking your last dose. This is because talazoparib may harm the baby.  

You must not donate sperm while taking talazoparib, and for four months after taking your last dose.

If you have any questions around sex while on talazoparib, speak to your doctor or nurse.

Dealing with prostate cancer

Being diagnosed and living with prostate cancer can change how you think and feel about yourself and your life. You feel scared, overwhelmed or even angry. There is no ‘right’ way to feel, and everyone reacts differently. It’s important to remember that support is available, and you don’t have to face this alone.

You may find it helpful to read our information on living with advanced prostate cancer. Visiting our wellbeing hub for information on looking after your emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing. You can also find out more about our support services and choose what’s works for you.

If you are close to someone with prostate cancer, find out more about how you can support someone with prostate cancer and where to get more information.

Questions you may want to ask your doctor or nurse

• Is talazoparib a suitable treatment for me, and why?
• If I get any side effects, are there ways I can manage them?
• If I have talazoparib, what tests will I have to monitor my prostate cancer, and how often will I have them?
• Will I have other treatments alongside talazoparib?
• What will happen if talazoparib stops working?

References and reviewers

Last reviewed: February 2026| Due for review: February 2029