ObjectiveTo explore the relation between the molecular subtypes and efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with docetaxel together with epirubicin(TE) in breast cancer. MethodsAccording to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 239 patients with breast cancer who at least received 3 cycles of TE-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy from May 2011 to December 2012 in this hospital were included. Molecular subtypes were categorized into luminal A, luminal B, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER-2) positive, and triple negative by the immunohistochemical results of estrogen receptor(ER), progesterone receptor(PR), HER-2, and Ki-67 status. The relevant indicators of the different molecular subtypes of breast cancer patients, such as pathological complete response(pCR) rate, age, and menstruation, etc. were analyzed. ResultsThere were 67(28.03%) patients with luminal A, 84(35.15%) luminal B, 21(8.79%) HER-2, and 67(28.03%) triple negative in these 239 patients with breast cancer. The differences of age, menstruation, axillary lymph node status etc. among the four molecular subtypes were not statistically significant(P > 0.05). The pCR rate of triple negative breast cancer(14.93%) was the highest among four subtypes, followed by luminal B(7.14%), HER-2 positive(4.76%) and luminal A(1.49%), there was a significant difference(P=0.027). ConclusionsComparing with luminal A, luminal B, and HER-2 positive breast cancers, triple negative breast cancer is the most sensitive to TE neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and it has the highest pCR rate. Therefore, different treatment should be selected according to molecular subtypes of breast cancer.