DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the breast

  • Stage IIIA or IIIB
  • Stage IV if patient has clinical evidence of locally advanced breast cancer only
  • Inoperable disease
• Prior carcinoma in situ of the breast or bilateral breast cancer is allowed
• No CNS metastases

• Hormone receptor status:

  • Estrogen and progesterone receptor status known

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Sex:

• Female or male

Menopausal status:

• Not specified

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2 OR
• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

• More than 6 months

Hematopoietic:

• WBC at least 3,000/mm^3
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin normal (no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal [ULN] in patients with an inherited disorder)
• AST/ALT no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• INR and PTT normal

Renal:

• Creatinine normal OR
• Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min
• No proteinuria or clinically significant renal impairment

Cardiovascular:

• LVEF at least 45% by echocardiogram or MUGA scan
• No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
• No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• No unstable angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmia
• No inadequately controlled hypertension
• No history of deep vein thrombosis or other thromboses
• No clinically significant peripheral artery disease

• No arterial thromboembolic event within the past 6 months including the following:

  • Transient ischemic attack
  • Cerebrovascular accident
  • Myocardial infarction

Other:

• No other prior or concurrent malignancy within the past 10 years except inactive nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No other uncontrolled concurrent illness
• No ongoing or active infection
• No non-healing wounds
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study participation
• No prior allergic reaction to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to bevacizumab, docetaxel, polysorbate 80 (Tween) formulations, or other agents used in this study
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• No concurrent cytokines during docetaxel/bevacizumab administration

  • Concurrent cytokines during doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide administration allowed at the discretion of the treating physician

Chemotherapy:

• No prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• Prior hormonal therapy (e.g., tamoxifen) allowed

Radiotherapy:

• Prior radiotherapy to affected breast allowed

Surgery:

• More than 28 days since prior major surgery

Other:

• At least 10 days since prior thrombolytic agents
• At least 10 days since prior full-dose oral or parenteral anticoagulants except to maintain patency of permanent indwelling IV catheters
• Concurrent warfarin allowed provided INR is less than 1.5
• Concurrent bisphosphonates allowed for osseous metastases provided they are not initiated on day 1 of cycle 1
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
• No concurrent full-dose oral or parenteral anticoagulants except to maintain patency of permanent indwelling IV catheters
• No concurrent thrombolytic agents
• No other concurrent anticancer agents or therapies
• No other concurrent investigational agents