The hypothesis of synergism between mTOR inhibitors and taxanes was also under investigation in a phase III study, where 403 patients with HER2- breast cancer showing no response after four cycles of neoadjuvant epirubicin and cyclophosphamide (with or without bevacizumab) were randomised to receive either paclitaxel alone, or paclitaxel plus everolimus. This evidence concerns the gene ERBB2 and breast cancer.