DHEA in Treating Women Undergoing Surgery for Stage I, Stage II, or Stage III Breast Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed invasive adenocarcinoma of the breast

  • Stage I (T1c), II, or III disease (AJCC staging system)

    • Lesion ≥ 1 cm on breast imaging studies (mammogram, ultrasound, or MRI)
• HER2/neu-negative tumor
• Planning to receive dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) prior to surgery

• Disease amenable to surgery with curative intent

  • Scheduled to undergo surgery immediately after completion of DHEA
• No locally advanced or metastatic disease not amenable to surgery

• Hormone receptor status:

  • Estrogen receptor- and progesterone receptor-negative tumor
  • Androgen receptor-positive tumor

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Menopausal status not specified
• ECOG performance status (PS) 0-2 OR Karnofsky PS 60-100%
• ANC ≥ 1,000/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm^3
• AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
• Bilirubin ≤ 2 times ULN
• Hemoglobin > 9 g/dL
• Creatinine normal OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 1 week after completion of study therapy
• No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to DHEA or anastrozole

• No concurrent uncontrolled illness, including but not limited to, any of the following:

  • Ongoing or active infection
  • Symptomatic congestive heart failure
  • Unstable angina pectoris
  • Cardiac arrhythmia
  • Psychiatric illness or social situation that would limit compliance with study requirements

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• More than 5 years since prior surgery, radiotherapy, biological therapy, hormone therapy, and/or chemotherapy for invasive breast cancer
• No other concurrent antineoplastic or antitumor agents
• No other concurrent investigational agents