The purpose of this trial is to study DPPE combined with epirubicin and cyclophosphamide in patients with metastatic and/or recurrent breast cancer who may have received previous hormone treatment but have not had exposure to anthracycline treatment. Stratification allocation will be within the following subgroups:

1. Prior cytotoxic treatment;
2. Estrogen receptor status;
3. ECOG performance status;
4. Number of cycles of chemotherapy.

Endpoints of the trial are as follows:

primary: overall survival; secondary: response rate, progression free survival, toxicity, neurocognitive function.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Histological proof of breast cancer
• Documented evidence of metastatic and/or recurrent breast cancer
• Presence of at least one bi-dimensional or uni-dimensional lesion
• ECOG status 0, 1 or 2
• Quality of life