Phase II study of combined docetaxel, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide as a neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen in patients with locally advanced breast cancer in a single institution.

e11040 Background: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with anthracycline and taxane combinations is a standard approach for locally advanced breast cancer. One commonly used regimen is docetaxel, doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide. Epirubicin is another anthracycline used in breast cancer but the combined use of epirubicin and taxane is not well established. We conducted a single institution, phase II study to assess the efficacy of combined docetaxel, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide (TEC) as a neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen. Methods: Eligible patients were female with newly diagnosed locally advanced breast cancer defined as T2 > 3 cm, T3-4, any N, or any T, N1-3, M0. A chemotherapy regimen of docetaxel 75 mg/m2, epirubicin 75 mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 was given with growth factor support every 3 weeks for 6 cycles. All patients had surgery within 3-6 weeks after completion of chemotherapy. Primary end-point was pathologic complete response (pCR). Results: Twenty-one patients were registered from Decemb...