Epirubicin and Cyclophosphamide Followed By Docetaxel and Trastuzumab in Treating Women With HER2-Positive Stage III or Stage IV Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVES: Primary * Determine the pathological complete response in women with HER2-positive stage IIIB-IV breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant epirubicin hydrochloride and cyclophosphamide followed by docetaxel and trastuzumab (Herceptin®). Secondary * Determine the clinical response in patients treated with this regimen. * Determine the recurrence-free survival of patients treated with this regimen. * Determine the overall survival of patients treated with this regimen. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients receive epirubicin hydrochloride and cyclophosphamide in weeks 1-3. Treatment with epirubicin hydrochloride and cyclophosphamide repeats every 3 weeks for 4 courses. Patients then receive docetaxel in week 13 and trastuzumab (Herceptin®) in weeks 13-15. Treatment with docetaxel and trastuzumab repeats every 3 weeks for 4 courses. Patients then undergo appropriate surgery. After surgery, patients with hormone receptor-positive disease receive trastuzumab once weekly and either tamoxifen with or without a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist or an aromatase inhibitor. Treatment continues for 40 weeks. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 40 patients will be accrued for this study.