DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed inflammatory or locally advanced stage IIB, IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC breast cancer

  • Previously untreated with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy
• No carcinomatous meningitis, brain metastases, or primary brain tumor

• Hormone receptor status:

  • Not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Sex:

• Male or female

Menopausal status:

• Not specified

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3
• No prior bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than upper limit of normal (ULN) (2 times ULN if Gilbert's disease is present and elevation is not related to tumor or other liver diseases)
• AST/ALT no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• INR no greater than 1.50

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• 24-hour urine protein less than 500 mg
• No prior primary renal disease except infection

Cardiovascular:

• LVEF at least 50%
• No New York Heart Association class II-IV congestive heart failure
• No serious cardiac arrhythmia requiring medication
• No grade II or greater peripheral vascular disease within the past 12 months
• No symptoms or signs of clinical heart failure

• No uncontrolled hypertension

  • Systolic blood pressure greater than 160 mm Hg OR
  • Diastolic blood pressure greater than 100 mm Hg
• No prior deep venous thrombosis
• No arterial thromboembolic event (e.g., transient ischemic attack, cerebrobascular accident, unstable angina, or myocardial infarction) within the past 6 months
• No history of stroke
• No clinically significant peripheral artery disease
• No other clinically significant cardiovascular disease

Pulmonary:

• No pulmonary embolism

Neurologic:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No uncontrolled seizures
• No clinical neuropathy grade 2 or greater
• No other CNS disease

Other:

• No active infection requiring IV antibiotics
• No nonhealing wound or bone fracture within the past 28 days
• No gastrointestinal bleeding within the past 6 months
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or nonmelanoma skin cancer
• No hypersensitivity to products containing polysorbate 80 (Tween 80)
• No known hypersensitivity to E. coli-derived products
• No other disease, metabolic dysfunction, physical examination finding, or clinical laboratory finding that would preclude study entry
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective nonhormonal contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics

Surgery:

• More than 28 days since prior major surgery

Other:

• At least 10 days since prior full-dose oral or parenteral anticoagulants or chronic aspirin (greater than 325 mg/day)
• No other concurrent antitumor therapy
• No other concurrent investigational drugs