AZD2171 and Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Women With Locally Advanced Breast Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed breast cancer, meeting 1 of the following criteria:

  * Previously untreated disease
  * Inflammatory disease
  * Locally advanced breast cancer (stage IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC disease)
* Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion (longest diameter) ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques or ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan or breast MRI
* Accessible tumor tissue for serial biopsy
* No overexpression of HER2
* No known brain metastases secondary to breast cancer
* Hormone receptor status not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* ECOG performance status 0-2
* Karnofsky performance status 60-100%
* Life expectancy \> 3 months
* Female only
* Menopausal status not specified
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,000/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL
* Bilirubin normal (≤ 2 times upper limit of normal \[ULN\] if evidence of Gilbert's disease and elevated bilirubin not related to tumor or other liver disease)
* AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 ULN
* Creatinine normal OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
* Proteinurea ≤ +1 on 2 consecutive dipsticks at least 1 week apart
* INR ≤ 1.5
* LVEF ≥ 50% by MUGA or echocardiogram without clinical symptoms or signs of heart failure
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* No peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2
* No known CNS disease, including history of stroke or seizures not controlled by standard medical therapy
* No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to docetaxel, doxorubicin hydrochloride, or cyclophosphamide
* No uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, any of the following:

  * Hypertension
  * Ongoing or active infection requiring IV antibiotics
  * Symptomatic congestive heart failure
  * Unstable angina pectoris
  * Cardiac arrhythmia
  * Peripheral vascular disease ≥ grade II
  * Psychiatric illness/social situation that would preclude study treatment
* No nonhealing wounds or bone fractures within the past 28 days
* No history of an active malignancy except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or nonmelanomatous skin cancer in the past 5 years

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* No prior surgery, chemotherapy, or hormonal therapy for breast cancer
* No concurrent medication that may affect renal function (e.g., amphotericin B or pentamidine)
* No full-dose oral or parenteral anticoagulants or chronic daily treatment with aspirin (dose \> 325 mg/day) within the past 10 days
* No other concurrent investigational agents
* No other concurrent commercially available drugs for this cancer
* No concurrent antiretroviral therapy for known HIV infection
* No major surgery within the past 28 days