Hormone Therapy Or Chemotherapy Before Surgery Based on Gene Expression Analysis in Treating Patients With Breast Cancer

Inclusion Criteria:

The treating surgeon must determine that breast conservation therapy (BCT) would be made more feasible by reducing tumor size using neoadjuvant systemic therapy
The patient must have signed and dated an institutional review board (IRB) approved consent form that conforms to federal and institutional guidelines
The patient must be female
The patient must be greater than or equal to 18 years old
The patient must have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Score (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1
The diagnosis of invasive carcinoma of the breast must have been made by core needle biopsy
The primary breast tumor must be >= 2 cm by physical exam or imaging
Ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes must be evaluated by imaging (MRI or ultrasound) within 6 weeks prior to randomization; If indicated for abnormal lymph nodes, fine needle aspirate (FNA) or core biopsy must be performed.

The tumor must have been determined to be HER2-negative as follows:

Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH)-negative (defined by ratio of HER2 to Chromosome 17 centromere (CEP17) must be < 2.2) or, if a ratio was not performed, the HER2 gene copy number must be < 4 per nucleus; or
Chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) is performed, the result must indicate a HER2 gene copy number of < 6 per nucleus; or
Immunohistochemistry (IHC) 0-1+; or
IHC 2+ and FISH-negative or CISH-negative
The tumor must have been determined to be ER+ and/or progesterone positive (PgR+) defined as > 10% tumor staining by immunohistochemistry
The patient must have been evaluated by a treating physician, reviewed and discussed by the multi-disciplinary breast team, and considered to be a candidate for chemotherapy

Exclusion Criteria:

FNA alone to diagnose the primary tumor
Excisional biopsy or lumpectomy performed prior to randomization
Surgical axillary staging procedure or sentinel node (SN) biopsy performed prior to registration
Tumors clinically staged as including inflammatory breast cancer
Ipsilateral cN2b or cN3 disease (patients with cN1 or cN2a disease are eligible)
Definitive clinical or radiologic evidence of metastatic disease (Note: chest imaging [mandatory for all patients] and other imaging [if required] must have been performed within 6 weeks prior to randomization)
Synchronous or metachronous contralateral invasive breast cancer; (patients with synchronous and/or metachronous contralateral ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) or lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) are eligible)
HER2 test result of IHC 3+, regardless of FISH results, if performed
Any history of ipsilateral invasive breast cancer or ipsilateral DCIS if treated with radiation therapy (RT); (patients with synchronous or metachronous ipsilateral LCIS are eligible)
History of non-breast malignancies, except for in situ cancers treated only by local excision and basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas of the skin, within 5 years prior to randomization
Treatment including RT, chemotherapy, and/or targeted therapy for the currently diagnosed breast cancer prior to registration
Cardiac disease (history of and/or active disease) that would preclude the use of chemotherapy
Pregnancy or lactation at the time of randomization; (Note: pregnancy testing must be performed within 2 weeks prior to randomization for women of childbearing potential)
Other non-malignant systemic disease that would preclude the patient from receiving study treatment or would prevent required follow-up
Psychiatric or addictive disorders or other conditions that, in the opinion of the investigator, would preclude the patient from meeting the study requirements
Use of any investigational product within 30 days prior to registration