Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically or cytologically confirmed breast cancer resected at time of original
diagnosis

- Stage I-III disease

- Candidate for 1 of the following adjuvant chemotherapy regimens:

- FEC (fluorouracil, epirubicin hydrochloride, and cyclophosphamide) every 21 or
28 days

- CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil) every 28 days

- A→CMF (doxorubicin hydrochloride followed by CMF)

- EC→P (epirubicin hydrochloride and cyclophosphamide every 21 days followed by
paclitaxel every 21 days)

- FEC→P (FEC every 21 days followed by paclitaxel every 21 days)

- EC→D (EC every 21 days followed by docetaxel every 21 days)

- AC (doxorubicin hydrochloride and cyclophosphamide) every 21 days

- AC→P (AC every 21 days followed by paclitaxel every 21 days)

- E→CMF (epirubicin hydrochloride followed by CMF every 28 days)

- No evidence of metastases or localized or distant recurrence

- Investigation to exclude metastases required for any suspicious manifestation

- Premenopausal, defined as the presence of active menstrual cycles or normal menses
within six weeks before initiation of chemotherapy

- Hormone receptor status not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

- Female

- No other malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell or squamous cell skin
cancer or adequately treated in situ carcinoma of the cervix

- No history of noncompliance to medical regimens or patients who are considered
potentially unreliable

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- See Disease Characteristics

- No prior chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy for cancer or non-neoplastic disease

- No other concurrent hormonal therapy except for tamoxifen