Highlight
– In a randomized phase III trial of 717 patients with triple‑negative breast cancer (TNBC), adding weekly carboplatin (AUC‑2) to a sequential paclitaxel → anthracycline‑cyclophosphamide neoadjuvant program did not meet the primary end point of event‑free survival (EFS) (HR 0.80; 95% CI 0.62–1.03; P = .081).
– A secondary analysis showed improved overall survival (OS) with carboplatin (HR 0.74; 95% CI 0.57–0.97; nominal P = .029), and a strong, statistically significant interaction by menopausal status: benefit concentrated in premenopausal patients (EFS HR 0.61; OS HR 0.57), with no apparent benefit in postmenopausal patients.