“…The RAD51 assay has some limitations: firstly, when PARPi sensitivity occurs via mechanisms that do not directly impact on the ability of cells to perform HRR, e.g., alterations in ATM (Chen et al , ; Davies et al , ; preprint: Balmus et al , ) or in the RNASEH2 complex (Zimmermann et al , ); secondly, when PARPi sensitivity occurs via mechanisms that preserve RAD51 foci formation, e.g., alterations in the MRN complex, RAD51AP1, polymerase eta, or ERCC1 (Kawamoto et al , ; Wiese et al , ; Oplustilova et al , ; Postel‐Vinay et al , ); thirdly, when HRR‐deficient tumors have acquired PARPi resistance via RAD51‐independent mechanisms such as loss of PARG, mutations in PARP1, or those that involve replication fork stabilization (Guillemette et al , ; Chaudhuri et al , ; Kais et al , ; Yazinski et al , ; Gogola et al , ; Michelena et al , ; Pettitt et al , ); fourthly, when a tumor has low proliferation index or low endogenous DNA damage, in which cases the assay would not be feasible.…”