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