Gemcitabine/Epirubicin/Paclitaxel as Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Locally Advanced Breast Cancer: A Phase II Trial of the NSABP Foundation Research Group

Abstract Background This phase II protocol of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine/epirubicin/paclitaxel (GET) was designed to determine the pathologic complete response (pCR) rate in the breast, clinical response rate, disease-free survival, and overall survival at 2 years as well as toxicity in patients with locally advanced breast cancer. This trial also evaluated the feasibility of tissue collection for gene-expression profiling. Patients and Methods Seventy-six women with stage IIB, IIIA, and IIIB breast cancer were entered into this trial. Patients received a maximum of 6 cycles of neoadjuvant GET chemotherapy every 21 days (gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 intravenously [I.V.] on days 1 and 4, epirubicin 90 mg/m2 I.V. bolus on day 1, and paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 I.V. on day 1). After chemotherapy, patients underwent surgery and were assessed for pathologic response. Results The pCR rate among the 74 patients evaluable for efficacy was 23% (95% CI, 14%-34.2%). Adverse events among the 76 patients evaluable for toxicity included anemia requiring transfusion (14.5%), infection with grade 3/4 neutropenia (10.5%), febrile neutropenia (7.9%), and platelet transfusion (6.6%). Infectious complications occurred in 24 patients (31.6%), of whom 18.4% were in the setting of neutropenia. High-quality RNA and successful probe synthesis were obtained from all pretreatment core biopsy specimens that contained tumor cells (n = 66; 88%). Conclusion Neoadjuvant GET chemotherapy is an active regimen but with substantial toxicity. Tissue collection for gene-expression profiling is feasible in a multi-institutional setting.