Neoadjuvant Therapy With Herceptin and Taxol for Breast Cancer

Inclusion Criteria:

Patients must have Stage II or III histologically diagnosed breast cancer
Primary invasive breast cancers that overexpress the HER2/neu oncogene
Age older than 18 years
Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of < 1
White blood cell (WBC) > 4000/mm3
Platelet count > 100,000/mm3
Bilirubin < 1 x upper limit of normal (ULN)
SGOT < 1 x ULN
Creatinine < 1.5mg/dl
Normal cardiac function and electrocardiogram (EKG) showing absence of ischemic changes or ventricular hypertrophy

Exclusion Criteria:

Excisional biopsy, sentinel node dissection or axillary node dissection.
Prior history of breast cancer unless: diagnosed at least 2 years ago, present cancer is not in a previously irradiated breast, no prior therapy with anthracycline or taxane, no prior high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell or bone marrow transplant.
Pregnant or breast-feeding women
Uncontrolled infection
Active or severe cardiovascular or pulmonary disease
Peripheral neuropathy of any etiology that exceeds grade 1
Prior history of malignancy treated without curative intent
Uncontrolled diabetes