Conditions: HER2/Neu Positive Stage IA Breast Cancer Stage IB Breast Cancer Stage II Breast Cancer Stage IIIA Breast Cancer
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 280
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
This randomized phase III trial is studying giving fluorouracil together with epirubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by paclitaxel and trastuzumab to see how well it works compared with giving paclitaxel together with trastuzumab followed by fluorouracil, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide, and trastuzumab in treating women with palpable breast cancer that can be removed by surgery. Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Monoclonal antibodies, such as trastuzumab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. It is not yet known whether it is more effective to give combination chemotherapy before or after treatment with paclitaxel plus trastuzumab.

Detailed description:
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. The primary objective of this study is to compare the pathologic complete response rate (pCR) within the breast of a sequential regimen of concurrent weekly paclitaxel and trastuzumab, followed by continued weekly trastuzumab administered concurrently with FEC-75 (Arm 2), to the pCR rate of a sequential regimen of FEC-75 alone followed by concurrent weekly paclitaxel and trastuzumab (Arm 1).

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To estimate the cardiotoxicity of a sequential regimen of concurrent weekly paclitaxel and trastuzumab, followed by continued weekly trastuzumab administered concurrently with FEC-75, followed postoperatively by q 3 week trastuzumab for a total duration of trastuzumab therapy through 52 weeks from the first dose (Arm 2), and compare the cardiotoxicity to that of a sequential regimen of FEC-75 alone followed by concurrent weekly paclitaxel and trastuzumab, followed by q 3 week trastuzumab for a total duration of trastuzumab therapy through 52 weeks from the first dose (Arm 1).

II. To compare the combined pCR rate in the breast and ipsilateral axilla obtained with the two regimens evaluated in this study.

III. To compare the clinical response rates (cRR) of the two regimens evaluated in this study.

IV. To compare the non-cardiac toxicity of the two regimens evaluated in this study.

V. To compare breast conservation rates achieved with the two regimens evaluated in this study.

VI. To evaluate disease-free survival and overall survival at 5 years post-randomization.

VII. To correlate pCR rate with potential molecular markers of response.

OUTLINE: Patients are stratified by clinical tumor size (breast tumor size \< 2 cm and nodal metastases \< 2 cm vs breast tumor size \< 2 cm and nodal metastases ≥ 2 cm vs breast tumor size 2-4 cm \[any nodal status\] vs breast tumor size ≥ 4 cm \[any nodal status\]), age (\< 50 vs ≥ 50) and hormone receptor status (estrogen receptor \[ER\]- and progesterone receptor \[PgR\]-negative vs ER- and/or PgR-positive). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.

ARM I: Patients receive FEC comprising fluoroucacil intravenously (IV), epirubicin hydrochloride IV, and cyclophosphamide IV on day 1. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 4 courses. Beginning 21 days after completion of FEC, patients receive paclitaxel IV once weekly and trastuzumab (Herceptin) IV once weekly for 12 weeks. Within 6 weeks after completion of paclitaxel and trastuzumab, patients undergo surgery. Beginning 3-4 weeks after surgery, patients receive trastuzumab IV once every 3 weeks for up to 52 weeks.

ARM II: Patients receive paclitaxel IV once weekly and trastuzumab IV once weekly for 12 weeks. Beginning 7 days after completion of paclitaxel and trastuzumab, patients receive FEC comprising fluoroucacil IV, epirubicin IV, and cyclophosphamide IV on day 1. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 4 courses. Patients also receive trastuzumab IV once weekly for an additional 12 weeks. Within 6 weeks after completion of FEC and trastuzumab, patients undergo surgery. Beginning 3-4 weeks after surgery, patients receive trastuzumab as in arm I.

After completion of study therapy, patients are followed every 3 months for 1 year and then every 6 months for 4 years.

Arms:
arm 1: Patients receive FEC comprising fluoroucacil IV, epirubicin hydrochloride IV, and cyclophosphamide IV on day 1. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 4 courses. Beginning 21 days after completion of FEC, patients receive paclitaxel IV once weekly and trastuzumab (Herceptin) IV once weekly for 12 weeks. Within 6 weeks after completion of paclitaxel and trastuzumab, patients undergo surgery. Beginning 3-4 weeks after surgery, patients receive trastuzumab IV once every 3 weeks for up to 52 weeks. arm 2: Patients receive paclitaxel IV once weekly and trastuzumab IV once weekly for 12 weeks. Beginning 7 days after the completion of paclitaxel and trastuzumab, patients receive FEC comprising fluoroucacil IV, epirubicin IV, and cyclophosphamide IV on day 1. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 4 courses. Patients also receive trastuzumab IV once weekly for an additional 12 weeks. Within 6 weeks after completion of FEC and trastuzumab, patients undergo surgery. Beginning 3-4 weeks after surgery, patients receive trastuzumab as in arm I.

Interventions: intervention 1: Cyclophosphamide intervention 2: Epirubicin Hydrochloride intervention 3: Laboratory Biomarker Analysis intervention 4: Paclitaxel intervention 5: Therapeutic Conventional Surgery intervention 6: Trastuzumab
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Given IV intervention 2: Given IV intervention 3: Correlative studies intervention 4: Given IV intervention 5: Undergo surgery intervention 6: Given IV

Protocol document: