Patients were randomly assigned via a central computerised minimisation procedure to three cycles of docetaxel ( 100 mg/m ( 2 ) once every 21 days ) followed by three cycles of fluorouracil ( 500 mg/m ( 2 ) ) , epirubicin ( 100 mg/m ( 2 ) ) , and cyclophosphamide ( 500 mg/m ( 2 ) ) once every 21 days ( D-FEC ) , without or with four cycles of bevacizumab ( 15 mg/kg ) ( Bev + D-FEC ) .