【Objective】 To investigate the predictive role of breast cancer molecular subtype in the response and outcome of breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant docetaxel plus epirubicin chemotherapy.【Methods】Two hundred and forty-four patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy were included in this retrospective study.Molecular subtypes were constructed from immunohistochemical results of estrogen receptor (ER)

progesterone receptor(PR) and HER2 status

which were classified as Luminal

HER2 positive and Basal-like subtype. 【Results】 Among all 244 cases

167 (68.4%) were Luminal subtype

43(17.6%) were HER2 positive subtype and 34 (13.9%) were Basal-like subtype. Compared with Luminal subtype

the pathological complete response rates of patients with basal-like and HER2 positive subtype were 29.4% and 25.6%

respectively

which were significantly higher than that of patients with Luminal subtype(P = 0.011). Patients with Basal-like and HER2 positive subtype especially for those with residual disease after chemotherapy had decreased 5-years disease-free survival(DFS) compared with those with Luminal subtype(P < 0.05). And similarly

patients with Basal-like and HER2 positive subtype especially for those with residual disease after chemotherapy had decreased 5-year overall survival (OS) compared with those with Luminal subtype (P < 0.05). The 5-year DFS and OS of patients who achieve pathological complete response (pCR) were significantly higher than that of patients with residual disease after chemotherapy(P < 0.001

P = 0.003

respectively). 【Conclusion】 Molecular subtype can predict the response of breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Compared with luminal subtype

patients of HER2 positive or basal-like subtype had increased pCR rates

but were associated with significantly worse survival.