Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Women With Stage II or Stage IIIA Breast Cancer That Has Spread to the Lymph Nodes

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed operable stage IIA, IIB, or IIIA adenocarcinoma of the breast with histologically involved lymph nodes (T1, 2, or 3; N1 or 2; M0) OR high-risk node-negative disease (T2 or 3; N0)

  * Primary tumor at least 2.1 cm in diameter for node-negative disease
  * Bilateral breast disease allowed if at least 1 primary tumor meets the criteria above
* Must have had at least 6 axillary lymph nodes removed at dissection and at least one node positive for metastasis OR
* Sentinel node biopsy negative for metastasis (sentinel node biopsy positive allowed if enrolled on American College of Surgery Trial Z0011 and have beenrandomized to receive no axillary dissection)

  * Additional axillary nodes may be obtained provided they are also negative for metastasis
* Complete tumor removal by either a modified radical mastectomy or local excision plus axillary lymph node dissection (i.e., breast conservation therapy) or sentinel node biopsy

  * Tumor-free margins at least 1 mm for both invasive and noninvasive carcinoma except for lobular carcinoma in situ (less than 1 mm allowed)
* Concurrent enrollment on American College of Surgery Trial Z0010, Z0011, or NSABP B-32 allowed
* Hormone receptor status:

  * Estrogen receptor status positive, negative, or unknown

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Sex:

* Female

Menopausal status:

* Not specified

Performance status:

* Not specified

Life expectancy:

* Not specified

Hematopoietic:

* Neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
* SGOT no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

* No history of myocardial infarction
* No congestive heart failure
* No significant ischemic or valvular heart disease

Other:

* No other prior invasive malignancies within the past 5 years except curatively treated basal or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
* No hypersensitivity to paclitaxel or docetaxel or other similarly formulated drugs (with Cremophor or polysorbate)
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* Not specified

Chemotherapy:

* No prior chemotherapy for breast cancer

Endocrine therapy:

* Prior tamoxifen of no more than 4 weeks duration for breast cancer allowed
* Prior tamoxifen or other selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) for chemoprevention (e.g., Breast Cancer Prevention Trial) or for other indications (e.g., osteoporosis) allowed
* No concurrent tamoxifen or other SERMs

Radiotherapy:

* No prior radiotherapy for this malignancy
* At least 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy to the breast for ductal carcinoma in situ

Surgery:

* See Disease Characteristics
* Less than 84 days since prior surgical procedure to adequately treat primary tumor