Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed invasive breast cancer

- HER2-negative disease

- IHC 0/1 OR IHC 2+ and FISH negative

- Must meet 1 of the following criteria:

- Unifocal tumor meeting 1 of the following criteria:

- T2 or T3 tumors (radiological size > 20 mm)

- T4 tumor of any size with direct extension to the chest wall or the skin

- Inflammatory carcinoma with tumor of any size

- Multifocal tumor meeting the following criteria:

- The sum of each tumors' maximum diameter must be ≥ 20 mm (total
radiological tumor size ≥ 20 mm)

- Other locally advanced disease meeting 1 of the following criteria:

- Any T stage with involvement of large or fixed axillary lymph nodes
(radiological diameter > 20 mm or clinical N2) and primary breast tumor of
any diameter

- Any T stage with involvement of large or fixed axillary lymph nodes
(radiological diameter > 20 mm or clinical N2), without a primary breast
tumor identified and the presence of breast cancer in a lymph node must be
histopathologically confirmed by lymph node biopsy (tru-cut or whole lymph
node)

- Embedded paraffin tumor block available from pre-chemotherapy biopsy and surgical
specimen

- Bilateral disease allowed

- No evidence of metastatic disease

- No prior breast cancer except for ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast surgically
cured > 10 years ago

- Any hormone receptor status

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

- ECOG performance status 0-2

- WBC > 3 x 10^9/L

- Hemoglobin > 10 g/dL

- Platelet count > 100 x 10^9/L

- AST/ALT ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

- Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2 times ULN

- Bilirubin normal

- Isolated elevation of bilirubin to ≤ 3 times ULN with a presumptive diagnosis of
Gilbert syndrome allowed if AST/ALT and alkaline phosphatase are within normal
limits

- Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN

- PT and PTT/aPTT ≤ 1.5 times ULN

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception

- Must be fit to receive chemotherapy on this trial, in the opinion of the responsible
clinician, as indicated by the following criteria:

- No clinically significant cardiac abnormalities

- No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months

- LVEF normal (at least 50%) by MUGA scan or echocardiogram

- No prior ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular
disease, arterial or venous thromboembolic disease, cardiac failure, inflammatory
bowel disease, gastroduodenal ulcer, symptomatic diverticulitis, or bleeding
diathesis

- No uncontrolled hypertension (systolic BP > 150 mm Hg or diastolic BP > 90 mm Hg)
with or without antihypertensive medication

- Patients with initial blood pressure elevations are eligible provided initiation
or adjustment of antihypertensive medication lowers pressure to meet entry
criteria

- No other previous malignancy except basal cell carcinoma, carcinoma in situ of the
cervix, or ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast treated by surgery only and
disease-free for 10 years

- No concurrent medical or psychiatric problem that might prevent completion of
treatment or follow-up

- No presence of active uncontrolled infection

- No history of nephritic or nephrotic syndrome

- No traumatic injury within the past 28 days

- No evidence of other disease that, in the opinion of the investigator, places the
patient at high risk of treatment-related complications

- No nonhealing wound, peptic ulcer, or bone fracture

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- No prior neoadjuvant endocrine therapy

- No prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy

- No major surgical procedure within the past 28 days

- No concurrent full therapeutic dose of anticoagulants or aspirin > 325 mg/day,
clopidogrel > 75 mg/day, or corticosteroids