The Effect on Tumor Response of Adding Sequential Preoperative Docetaxel to Preoperative Doxorubicin and Cyclophosphamide: Preliminary Results From National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project Protocol B-27

PURPOSE: The National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project Protocol B-27 was designed to determine the effect of adding docetaxel after four cycles of preoperative doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (AC) on clinical and pathological response rates and on disease-free and overall survival of women with operable breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Women (N = 2,411) with operable primary breast cancer were randomly assigned to receive either four cycles of preoperative AC followed by surgery (group I), or four cycles of AC followed by four cycles of docetaxel, followed by surgery (group II), or four cycles of AC followed by surgery and then four cycles of docetaxel (group III). Clinical and pathologic tumor…