Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Paclitaxel or Eribulin with Doxorubicin and Cyclophosphamide for Locally Advanced HER2-Negative Breast Cancer

Patients will be randomized to one of two neoadjuvant therapy regimens. Patients in Arm 1 will receive WP 80 mg/m2 for 12 doses followed by standard AC every 21 days for 4 cycles. Patients in Arm 2 will receive 4 cycles of eribulin 1.4 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle followed by standard AC every 21 days for 4 cycles. As soon as possible following recovery from chemotherapy, the patient will have either lumpectomy or mastectomy and axillary staging. In both arms, clinical response will be assessed by physical exam on day 1 of each study therapy cycle. MRI of the breast is required within 4 weeks prior to randomization and following completion of eribulin or WP (before starting AC). Following recovery from surgery, patients will receive radiation therapy and hormonal therapy as clinically indicated. Other postoperative therapies are prohibited. Patients will be randomized to the control arm (Arm 1) and to the investigational arm (Arm 2) in a 1:2 ratio. The sample size will be up to 50 patients with about 30 patients in Arm 2 and about half that number in Arm 1. Accrual is expected to occur over 15 months.