title: Neoadjuvant epirubicin/docetaxel (ET) concomitant chemotherapy for primary breast cancer with tumor diameter >=3.1 cm: results of the Kyushu ET therapy phase II trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Neoadjuvant epirubicin/docetaxel (ET) combination chemotherapy was administered to breast cancer patients in order to investigate their clinical and pathological response. Moreover, the breast-conserving surgery (BCS) rate, disease-free (DFS) and overall survival (OS), safety profile and the correlation of biological markers were investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Out of the 46 enrolled patients, 45 patients were analyzed for clinical response, and 40 patients were examined for pathological response. Estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor type2 (HER2) expression were examined immunohistologically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median tumor size was 4.5 cm in diameter. Complete (CR) and partial responses were seen in 3 and 30 patients, respectively. A pathological CR was achieved in 4 patients and correlated with ER and PgR negativity. Moreover, BCS was performed on 16 patients. The 5-year cumulative DFS was 60.7% and OS was 91.8%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ET therapy is clinically effective with a pathological CR rate of 10% for patients with a large tumor, and should be considered as a neoadjuvant treatment option.
authors: Department of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Kumamoto City Hospital, Kumamoto, 1-1-60 Kotoh, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto 862-8505, Japan. nishimura.reiki@cityhosp-kumamoto.jp
authors: Reiki
authors: R
authors: Nishimura
authors: Yoshiaki
authors: Y
authors: Rai
authors: Fumie
authors: F
authors: Matsuo
authors: Keisei
authors: K
authors: Anan
authors: Shinsuke
authors: S
authors: Hara
authors: Shigeru
authors: S
authors: Imamura
authors: Noriaki
authors: N
authors: Itoyanagi
authors: Masato
authors: M
authors: Kato
authors: Masayuki
authors: M
authors: Okido
authors: Manabu
authors: M
authors: Kudaka
authors: Emi
authors: E
authors: Ishikawa
authors: Yoshihiko
authors: Y
authors: Kamada
authors: Ryoji
authors: R
authors: Watanabe
authors: Mitsunori
authors: M
authors: Shirouzu
authors: Shoshu
authors: S
authors: Mitsuyama
authors: Yasushi
authors: Y
authors: Takamatsu
authors: Kazuo
authors: K
authors: Tamura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000077143:Docetaxel; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D015251:Epirubicin