Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Phase III Trial to Compare Epirubicin and Cyclophosphamide (EC) Followed by Docetaxel (T) to Epirubicin and Docetaxel (ET) Followed by Capecitabine (X) as Adjuvant Treatment, Node Positive Breast Cancer Patients
Brief Summary: This is a prospective, randomised phase III trial, to compare the efficacy and safety profiles of two types of adjuvant chemotherapy regimens for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) negative, node positive breast cancer patients.

Control Arm: This includes 4 cycles of EC 90/600 mg/m2 day 1 every 3 weeks, followed by 4 cycles of T 100 mg/m2 day 1 every 3 weeks.

Experimental Arm: This includes 4 cycles of ET 90/75 mg/m2, day 1 every 3 weeks, followed by 4 cycles of capecitabine 1250 mg/m2, twice a day, via oral intake, for 14 days, and then a one-week rest period.

Premenopausal women with hormone receptor positive tumours must receive 5 years of tamoxifen after the end of chemotherapy.

Postmenopausal women with hormone receptor positive tumours can receive tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors (or both) after the end of chemotherapy.

Patients may receive radiotherapy when clinically indicated.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* Written informed consent must be obtained and documented according to the local regulatory requirements prior to beginning specific protocol procedures.
* Complete baseline documentation sent to SKM CRS.
* Unilateral or bilateral primary carcinoma of the breast, confirmed histologically by core biopsy. Fine-needle aspiration is not sufficient. Incisional biopsy is not allowed. In case of bilateral cancer the investigator has to decide prospectively which side will be evaluated for the primary endpoint.
* Tumor lesion in the breast with a palpable size of \> 2 cm in maximum diameter. The leasion has to be measurable in two-dimensions by sonography. In case of inflammatory disease the extent of inflammation can be used as measurable lesion. The following tumor stages are eligible:

  * Palpable breast tumor size of \> 2 cm without involvement of the skin or muscle or evidence of inflammatory disease (T2-3). Clinical N0-2. (Study population I)
  * Primary tumor with clinical involvement of skin or muscle or clinically evidence of inflammatory breast cancer (T4 a-d) or clinical N3 including supraclavicular nodes. (Study population II). In patients with multifocal or multicentric breast cancer, the largest lesion should be measured.
* Age \> 18 years.
* Karnofsky Performance status index \> 80%.
* Normal cardiac function must be confirmed by LVEF or shortening fraction (echocardiography or MUGA scan respectively) within 3 months prior to registration. The result must be above the normal limit of the institution.
* Laboratory requirements (within 14 days prior to registration):

  * Hematology:

    * Neutrophils \> 2.0 x 109/L and
    * Platelets \> 100 x 109/L and
    * Hemoglobin \> 10 g/dL
  * Hepatic function:

    * Total bilirubin \< 1 x UNL and
    * ASAT (SGOT) and ALAT (SGPT) \< 2.5 x UNL and
    * Alkaline phosphatase \< 5 UNL. Patients with ASAT and/or ALAT \> 1.5 x UNL associated with alkaline phosphatase \> 2.5 x UNL are not eligible for the study.
  * Renal function:

    * Creatinine \< 175 µmol/L (2 mg/dL)
* Tissue block centrally available for further biological tests.
* Negative pregnancy test (urine or serum) within 14 days prior to registration for all women of childbearing potential.
* Complete staging work-up within 3 months prior to registration. All patients must have bilateral mammography, breast ultrasound, breast MRI (optional), chest X-ray (PA and lateral), abdominal ultrasound and/or CT scan, and bone scan. In case of positive bone scan, bone X-ray is mandatory. Other tests may be performed as clinically indicated.
* Patients must be available and compliant for treatment and follow-up. Patients registered on this trial must be treated and followed up at the participating center which can be the Principal or the Co- Investigator's site.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Early breast cancer with a tumor size of \< 2 cm measured by palpation.
* Patients with low or moderate risk. These patients are defined as having none of the following risk factors: Age \< 36 years, cT\> 5cm, ER and PR negative, cN+, or Grade III.
* Evidence of distant metastasis.
* Prior chemotherapy for any malignancy.
* Pregnant or lactating patients. Patients of childbearing potential must implement adequate non-hormonal contraceptive measures during study treatment.
* Pre-existing motor or sensory neuropathy of a severity \> grade 2 by NCI criteria.
* Other serious illness or medical condition:

  * previous malignant disease with a disease-free survival of less than 5 years (except CIS of the Cervix and non-melanomatous skin cancer.
  * congestive heart failure or unstable angina pectoris, previous history of myocardial infarction within 1 year prior to study entry, uncontrolled arterial hypertension or high-risk uncontrolled arrhythmias.
  * history of significant neurologic or psychiatric disorders including psychotic disorders, dementia or seizures that would prohibit the understanding and giving of informed consent.
  * active uncontrolled infection.
  * active peptic ulcer, unstable diabetes mellitus.
* Chronic treatment with corticosteroids unless initiated \> 6 months prior to study entry and at low dose (\</= 20 mg methylprednisolone or equivalent).
* Concurrent treatment with sex hormones. Prior treatment must be stopped before study entry.
* Definite contraindications for the use of corticosteroids.
* Concurrent treatment with other experimental drugs. Participation in another clinical trial with any investigational not marketed drug within 30 days prior to study entry.
* Concurrent treatment with any other anti-cancer therapy.
* Known hypersensitivity reaction to one of the investigational compounds or incorporated substances.
* Male patients.
B: Inclusion Criteria :

* Signed informed consent prior to registration.
* Considered by the investigator to have a life expectancy of ≥12 weeks.
* Subjects must be female and have histologically - confirmed invasive breast cancer with Stage IV disease at primary diagnosis or at relapse after curative - intent surgery.
* Documented overexpression of ErbB2
* Subjects should have progressive disease following prior therapy which may include anthracyclines, taxanes, and trastuzumab.
* Females aged ≥18 years
* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) of 0 to 1.
* Subjects must have adequate organ and marrow function
* Subjects must have a cardiac ejection fraction of at least 50% and within the institutional range of normal.
* Radiotherapy prior to initiation of study medication is allowed to a limited area ( e . g . , palliative therapy ) , if it is not the sole site of disease.
* Subjects with stable central nervous system (CNS) metastases are permitted.
* Subject must be free of gastrointestinal diseases or any other conditions that impede swallowing, retaining, and absorption of oral medications.
* Bisphosphonate therapy for bone metastases is allowed; however, treatment must be initiated prior to the first dose of study medication. Prophylactic use of bisphosphonates in subjects without bone disease, except for the treatment of osteoporosis, is not permitted.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Subjects taking prohibited medications are not eligible for the study.
* Therapy with lapatinib, vinorelbine, or capecitabine prior to randomization into this study.
* Prior therapy with more than one chemotherapeutic regimen for metastatic breast cancer.
* Concurrent anticancer or concomitant radiotherapy treatment.
* History of uncontrolled or symptomatic angina; history of arrhythmias requiring medications ; clinically significant myocardial infarction \< 6 months from study entry; uncontrolled or symptomatic congestive heart failure; ejection fraction below the institutional normal limit; or any other cardiac condition, which in the opinion of the treating physician, would make this protocol unreasonably hazardous for the patient.
* Have current active hepatic or biliary disease (with exception of patients with Gilbert's syndrome, asymptomatic gallstones, liver metastases or stable chronic liver disease per investigator assessment).
* Use of an investigational drug within 30 days or 5 half - lives, whichever is longer, preceding the first dose of investigational treatment, or, concurrent treatment with an investigational agent or participation in another clinical trial involving investigational agents.
* Known immediate or delayed hypersensitivity reaction or idiosyncrasy to drugs chemically related to any of the agents used in this study or their excipients that in the opinion of the investigator or GSK Medical Monitor contraindicates their participation.
* Known deficiency for the enzyme dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD).
* Known history of uncontrolled inter - current illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, clinically significant cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness / social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements.
* Concurrent disease or condition that would make the subject inappropriate for study participation , or any serious medical disorder that would interfere with the subject's safety.
* Pregnant or lactating females at any time during the study (due to the potential teratogenic or abortifacient effects of lapatinib and breastfeeding).
* Subjects with diseases affecting gastrointestinal function resulting in an inability to take oral medication , including ; malabsorption syndrome, disease significantly affecting gastrointestinal function , or resection of the stomach , small bowel , or colon. Subjects with inflammatory bowel disease or ulcerative colitis are also excluded.
* Peripheral neuropathy of Grade 2 or greater.
* Unresolved or unstable, serious toxicity from prior administration of another investigational drug and / or of prior cancer treatment.
* Dementia, altered mental status, or any psychiatric condition that would prohibit the understanding or rendering of informed consent.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

To be eligible for inclusion in the study, each patient must fulfill each of the criteria below.

* Have provided written informed consent prior to study-specific screening procedures, with the understanding that the patient has the right to withdraw from the study at any time, without prejudice.
* Be female and 18 years of age or older.
* Have histologically confirmed invasive breast cancer.
* High risk of breast cancer recurrence (\> 25% within the first 5 years without adjuvant therapy, \> 35% within the first 10 years) with one of the following:

  * Regional node positive disease (pN+; tumor cells or tumor cell clusters \< 0.2 mm in diameter are not counted as metastases);
  * Pathological N0 and PgR- and tumor size \> 20 mm.

Exclusion Criteria:

Patients who fulfill any of the following criteria will be excluded:

* \> 65 years of age.
* "Special type" histology (mucinous, papillary, medullary, or tubular breast cancer), when pN0.
* ER, PgR and HER-2 status (via in situ hybridization or immunohistochemistry) not determined.
* Presence of distant metastases.
* Previous chemotherapy in the neoadjuvant setting.
* Non-ambulatory or WHO performance status \> 1.
* Pregnant or lactating women. Women of childbearing potential (menstruating within 6 months of study entry or with no hysterectomy and age \< 55) with either a positive or no pregnancy test at baseline.
* Women of childbearing potential unless using a reliable and appropriate contraceptive method. (Post-menopausal women must have been amenorrheic for at least 6 months to be considered of non-childbearing potential).
* More than 12 weeks between breast surgery and date of randomization.
* Organ allografts with immunosuppressive therapy required.
* Major surgery (except breast surgery) within 4 weeks prior to study treatment start, or lack of complete recovery from the effects of major surgery.
* Participation in any investigational drug study within 4 weeks preceding treatment start.
* Patients with a history of uncontrolled seizures, central nervous system disorders or psychiatric disability judged by the investigator to be clinically significant precluding informed consent or interfering with compliance for oral drug intake.
* History of another malignancy within the last five years except cured basal cell carcinoma of skin or carcinoma in situ of the uterine cervix.
* Clinically significant (i.e. active) cardiac disease (e.g. congestive heart failure, symptomatic coronary artery disease and cardiac arrhythmia not well controlled with medication) or myocardial infarction within the last 12 months.
* Abnormal laboratory values:

  * Hemoglobin \< 10.0 g/dL, neutrophils \< 1.5 x 10\^9/L, platelet count \< 120 x 10\^9/L;
  * Serum creatinine \> 1.5 x Upper Limit of Normal (ULN);
  * Creatinine clearance (calculated per Cockroft and Gault) \< 50 mL/min;
  * Serum bilirubin \> ULN;
  * ALAT \> 1.5 x ULN;
  * Alkaline phosphatase \> 2.5 x ULN.
* Serious uncontrolled intercurrent infections or other serious uncontrolled concomitant disease.
* Lack of physical integrity of the upper gastrointestinal tract or those who have clinically significant malabsorption syndrome.
* Inability to swallow tablets.
* Life expectancy of less than 3 months.
* Unwilling or unable to comply with the protocol for the duration of the study.
* Requirement for concurrent use of the antiviral agent sorivudine or chemically related analogues, such as brivudine.
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Written informed consent.
* Histological diagnosis of operable invasive adenocarcinoma of the breast (T1-T3). Tumours must be HER2 negative. Time window between surgery and study randomization must be less than 60 days.
* Surgery must consist of mastectomy or conservative surgery with axillary lymph node dissection. Margins free of disease and ductal carcinomas in situ (DCIS) are required. Lobular carcinoma is not considered a positive margin.
* Positive axillary lymph nodes defined as at least 1 out of 10 nodes with presence of disease. If sentinel node technique is used, sentinel node can be the only node affected. Patients belonging to the following classifications are eligible: TNM pathologic stage N1a, TNM pathologic stage N2a, TNM pathologic stage N3a.
* Status of hormone receptors in primary tumour. Results must be available before the end of adjuvant chemotherapy.
* Patients must not present evidence of metastatic disease. Status of HER2 in primary tumour, known before randomization. Patients with immune histochemistry (IHC) 0 or +1 are eligible. For patients with IHC 2+, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is mandatory and result must be negative.
* Age \>= 18 and \<= 70 years old.
* Performance status (Karnofsky index) \>= 80.
* Normal electrocardiogram (EKG) in the 12 weeks prior to randomization. If needed, normal cardiac function must be confirmed by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).
* Laboratory results (within 14 days prior to randomization):

  * Hematology: neutrophils \>= 1.5 x 10\^9/l; platelets \>= 100 x 10\^9/l; hemoglobin \>= 10 mg/dl;
  * Hepatic function: total bilirubin \<= 1 upper normal limit (UNL); serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) and Serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) \<= 2.5 UNL; alkaline phosphatase \<= 2.5 UNL. If values of SGOT and SGPT \> 1.5 UNL are associated to alkaline phosphatase \> 2.5 UNL, patient is not eligible;
  * Renal function: creatinine \<= 175 mmol/l (2 mg/dl); creatinine clearance \>= 60 ml/min;
  * Pharmacogenetics: one blood sample is needed for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assessment.
* Complete stage workup during the 12 weeks prior to randomization (mammograms are allowed within a 20 week window). All patients must have a bilateral mammogram, thorax x-ray, abdominal echography and/or computed tomography (CT)-scan. If bone pain, and/or alkaline phosphatase elevation, a bone scintigraphy is mandatory. This test is recommended for all patients. Other tests: as clinically indicated.
* Patients able to comply with treatment and study follow-up.
* Negative pregnancy test done in the 14 prior days to randomization.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Prior systemic therapy for breast cancer.
* Prior therapy with anthracyclines or taxanes (paclitaxel or docetaxel) for any malignancy.
* Prior radiotherapy for breast cancer.
* Bilateral invasive breast cancer.
* Pregnant or lactating women. Adequate contraceptive methods must be used during chemotherapy and hormone therapy treatments.
* Any T4 or M1 tumour.
* Axillary lymph nodes: patients belonging to the following classifications are excluded: TNM pathologic stage N1b, TNM pathologic stage N1c, TNM pathologic stage N2b, TNM pathologic stage N3b, TNM pathologic stage N3c.
* HER2 positive breast cancer (IHC 3+ or positive FISH result).
* Pre-existing grade \>= 2 motor or sensorial neurotoxicity (National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria version 2.0 \[NCICTC v-2.0\]).
* Any other serious medical pathology, such as congestive heart failure; unstable angina; history of myocardial infarction during the previous year; uncontrolled hypertension or high risk arrhythmias.
* History of neurological or psychiatric disorders, which could preclude the patients from free informed consent.
* Active uncontrolled infection.
* Active peptic ulcer; unstable diabetes mellitus.
* Previous or current history of neoplasms different from breast cancer, except for skin carcinoma, cervical in situ carcinoma, or any other tumour curatively treated and without recurrence in the last 10 years; ductal in situ carcinoma in the same breast; lobular in situ carcinoma.
* Chronic treatment with corticosteroids.
* Contraindications for corticosteroid administration.
* Concomitant treatment with raloxifene, tamoxifen or other selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), either for osteoporosis treatment or for prevention. These treatments must stop before randomisation.
* Concomitant treatment with other investigational products; participation in other clinical trials with a non-marketed drug in the 20 previous days before randomization.
* Concomitant treatment with another therapy for cancer.
* Males.

Answer: D