In a phase III Indian study, the addition of weekly carboplatin significantly improved overall survival and event-free survival when added to a taxane-anthracycline neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen for patients with locally advanced triple-negative breast cancer.

In the single center, randomized trial conducted in TATA Memorial hospital, 720 patients with TNBC were randomized to receive weekly paclitaxel plus carboplatin AUC2 vs paclitaxel alone weekly for 8 weeks. Both regimens were followed by 4 cycles of AC regimen every 2-3 weeks then surgery.

After a median follow-up of 67.6 months, the 5-year EFS rate was 70.7% in the carboplatin arm vs 64.1% in the control arm (HR, 0.798; P = 0.081). In patients younger than 50 years, the 5-year EFS rate was 74.2% vs 61.7%, respectively (HR, 0.642; P = .004).

The pCR rate was 54.5% in the carboplatin arm vs 40.3% with control arm (P < .001). Additionally, the 5-year OS rate was 74.4% in carboplatin arm vs 66.8% in control arm (HR, 0.740; P = .029). In patients younger than 50 years, the 5-year OS rate was 77.1% vs 65.9%, respectively (HR, 0.611; P = .003).