Cyclophosphamide, Paclitaxel, and Trastuzumab in Treating Stage I-II HER2/Neu Positive Breast Cancer After Surgery

This phase II trial studies the side effects and how well cyclophosphamide, paclitaxel, and trastuzumab work when given after surgery in treating patients with stage I-II human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2/neu) positive breast cancer (confined to the breast or the breast and lymph nodes under the arm). Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cyclophosphamide and paclitaxel, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Monoclonal antibodies, such as trastuzumab, may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Giving cyclophosphamide, paclitaxel, and trastuzumab after surgery may help prevent the cancer from coming back.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To determine the toxicities and ability to complete the planned treatment of a dose-dense regimen of cyclophosphamide and paclitaxel with trastuzumab in subjects with newly diagnosed stage I-II HER2/neu positive breast cancer.

II. To estimate recurrence free survival of a dose-dense regimen of cyclophosphamide and paclitaxel with trastuzumab in subjects with newly diagnosed stage I-II HER2/neu positive breast cancer.

OUTLINE:

SYSTEMIC THERAPY: Patients receive cyclophosphamide intravenously (IV) over 1 hour, paclitaxel IV over 3 hours, and trastuzumab IV over 30-90 minutes on day 1. Treatment repeats every 14 days for 6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

MAINTENANCE TRASTUZUMAB THERAPY: Beginning in course 6, patients receive trastuzumab IV over 30-60 minutes on day 1. Treatment repeats every 21 days for up to 52 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Patients may undergo radiation therapy at the discretion of the radiation oncologist and medical oncologist and patients with estrogen/progesterone receptor positive tumors receive hormonal therapy as determined by the medical oncologist per standard National Comprehensive Care Network (NCCN) guidelines.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months for 2 years.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Histologically confirmed newly diagnosed stage I-II HER2/neu positive breast cancer
* Women of reproductive potential must be non-pregnant and non-nursing and must agree to employ an effective barrier method of birth control throughout the study and for up to 6 months following treatment
* Women of child-bearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test within 7 days of initiating study (no childbearing potential is defined as age 55 years or older and no menses for two years or any age with surgical removal of the uterus and/or both ovaries)
* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1
* Within 30 days prior to enrollment: Absolute neutrophil count greater than or equal to 1,500/mcl
* Within 30 days prior to enrollment: Platelet count equal to or greater than 150,000/mcl
* Within 30 days prior to enrollment: Hemoglobin \> 11 gm/dl
* Within 30 days prior to enrollment: Alkaline phosphatase equal or less than 1.5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Within 30 days prior to enrollment: Total bilirubin equal to or less than 1.5 times the ULN
* Within 30 days prior to enrollment: Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) no greater than 1.5 times the ULN
* Within 30 days prior to enrollment: Creatinine less than 1.5 times the ULN
* Able to give informed consent
* All included subjects must have normal cardiac function as defined by an ejection fraction of \> 50% by echocardiogram
* Able to return for treatment and follow-up on the specified days

Exclusion Criteria:

* Prior malignancy; except for adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or noninvasive carcinomas
* Subjects with pre-existing grade II peripheral neuropathy
* History of previous chemotherapy
* Stage IV or metastatic breast cancer
* Pregnant or nursing women
* Inability to cooperate with treatment protocol
* No active serious infections or other conditions precluding chemotherapy
* Any comorbidity or condition which, in the opinion of the investigator, may interfere with the assessments and procedures of this protocol e.g. unstable angina, myocardial infarction within 6 months, severe infection, etc.
* Known hypersensitivity to any component of required drugs in the study
* Known positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or infectious hepatitis, type A, B or C or active hepatitis
* Any serious medical condition, laboratory abnormality, or psychiatric illness that would prevent the subject from signing the informed consent form
* Myocardial infarction within 6 months prior to enrollment or has New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV heart failure uncontrolled angina, severe uncontrolled ventricular arrhythmias, or electrocardiographic evidence of acute ischemia or active conduction system abnormalities; prior to study entry, any electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormality at screening has to be documented by the investigator as not medically relevant