Phase II Bevacizumab + Tax In Advanced Breast Cancer

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