Role of Platinums in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Abstract

Purpose of review: Platinum compounds are used in the treatment of various types of cancer. Here, we review the current role of cisplatin and carboplatin in the treatment of early stage and advanced triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and the use of biomarkers in predicting response to platinum therapy.

Recent findings: Addition of carboplatin to a neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen can result in improvement in the pathological complete response rates. The long-term benefit of the addition of carboplatin to standard chemotherapy regimens remains unproven. Single-agent platinum is an option in the treatment of advanced breast cancer. BRCA1/2 mutations predicted benefit from platinums in advanced, but not early stage breast cancer. There are yet no biomarkers to predict response to platinum in sporadic TNBC. Platinum compounds are an option in the treatment of TNBC. Identification of biomarkers to select tumors most likely to derive benefit from these agents is still needed. Ongoing trials are exploring the role of platinum in the adjuvant setting and in combination with other agents, including immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Keywords: BRCA1/2 carriers; Biomarkers; Breast cancer; Carboplatin; Homologous recombination deficiency; Pathological complete response; Platinum; Triple-negative breast cancer.