Neoadjuvant Treatment and Molecular Characterization of Locally Advanced Breast Cancer
Inclusion Criteria:
- Confirmed infiltrating adenocarcinoma of the breast
- Primary breast cancer > 5cm, or skin/chest wall involvement, any N, without evidence
of metastasis.
- No prior radiation to the involved breast
- ECOG performance status 0-2
- Age 18 years to 80 years
- Absolute Neutrophil count > 1500 cell/μl, platelet count > 100000 cells/μl and
hemoglobin > 9 g/dl
- All liver function tests < upper limit of normal
- Serum creatinine < 2.0 mg/dl
- Normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) as determined by MUGA scan or
echocardiogram
- HER-2/neu status is determined by a FISH test. [FISH (+) is HER-2/neu (+)]
- If female of childbearing potential, pregnancy test is negative
- If premenopausal and not surgically sterilized, the patient agrees to use effective
birth control method for the duration of the study
- Informed consent has been obtained
Exclusion Criteria:
- Non-confirmed infiltrating adenocarcinoma breast cancer
- Evidence of metastasis
- Previous chemotherapy using the drugs proposed in this study, specifically
Herceptin®, Taxotere®, and/or Carboplatin
- Prior radiation to the involved breast
- Recent breast cancer drug therapy within last 5 years of any form
- History of allergy to polysorbate or castor oil
- Ongoing active infection
- Concurrent life-limiting disease with a life expectancy of less than one year
- Past or current history of other malignancy within the past 5 years which could
affect the diagnosis or assessment of breast cancer, except for curatively treated
non-melanoma skin cancer and/or in situ carcinoma of the cervix
- Pregnancy, nursing, fertile women who do not use birth control device
- Inability to give informed consent
- Patients with pre-existing peripheral neuropathy > grade 2