S0221 Adjuvant Doxorubicin, Cyclophosphamide, and Paclitaxel in Treating Patients With Breast Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed stage I-III invasive breast cancer * Operable disease * Stage I, II, IIIA, and IIIC (T1-3, N3a only) * No T4 tumors * High-risk disease, defined by 1 of the following: * Tumor ≥ 2 cm in greatest diameter (includes both invasive and intraductal component) * Patients with nodal status of N0+ (i.e., no cluster of tumor cells in any node greater than 0.2 mm) are considered to be node negative and must have a primary tumor ≥ 2 cm in size or have a tumor ≥ 1 cm with high risk features * Patients who are node negative on the basis of a sentinel node procedure and fewer than 6 axillary nodes are removed are eligible OR at least 6 axillary or intramammary nodes must be negative * Tumor ≥ 1 cm in diameter and meeting 1 of the following criteria: * ER-negative and PgR-negative * ER-positive or PgR-positive with a Genomic Health Recurrence Score of ≥ 26 * One or more axillary or intramammary nodes are involved by metastatic breast cancer * If one or more nodes is involved, a minimum of 6 axillary or intramammary nodes must have been examined histologically * Patients with N0(I+) disease will be considered node negative * HER2/neu-positive tumors (3+ by immunohistochemical staining or amplified by fluorescence in-situ hybridization) allowed * Bilateral synchronous breast cancer diagnosed within 1 month of each other allowed provided the higher TNM stage primary tumor meets the eligibility criteria * Prior modified radical mastectomy OR local excision of all tumors with axillary lymph node dissection or sentinel node resection required * No more than 84 days since prior surgery for the primary tumor and/or axilla * Final resection margins for the primary tumor must be histologically negative for invasive cancer and ductal carcinoma in situ * Resection margins positive for lobular carcinoma in situ are allowed * Hormone receptor status: * Estrogen receptor status known * Progesterone receptor status known PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Sex * Male or female Menopausal status * Not specified Performance status * Zubrod 0-2 Life expectancy * Not specified Hematopoietic * Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,200/mm\^3 * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3 Hepatic * Bilirubin no greater than upper limit of normal (ULN) * Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2 times ULN * SGOT or SGPT no greater than 2 times ULN Renal * Creatinine no greater than ULN Cardiovascular * No congestive heart failure * No active angina pectoris * LVEF greater than or equal to the lower limit of normal\* by MUGA or echocardiogram NOTE: Patients age 60 and over OR with a history of hypertension Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, in situ cervical carcinoma, or lobular carcinoma in situ of the breast * Prior invasive breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ allowed if disease-free for 5 years * HIV negative PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * Not specified Chemotherapy * No prior cytotoxic chemotherapy for this breast cancer * No prior chemotherapy with an anthracycline, anthracenedione, or taxane Endocrine therapy * Not specified Radiotherapy * No prior radiotherapy for this malignancy * At least 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy for ductal carcinoma in situ Surgery * See Disease Characteristics