Nature Cell Biology, Published online: 02 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41556-026-01951-7 PARP inhibitors kill cancer cells by trapping poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) on DNA. A study now shows that cancer cells use a specialized form of autophagy to extract and degrade trapped PARP1, limiting the efficacy of PARP-trapping drugs. Blocking this escape route can re-sensitize resistant tumours.