Sunitinib Malate and Exemestane in Treating Postmenopausal Women With Breast Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed invasive breast carcinoma meeting the following criteria:

  * Estrogen receptor-positive ≥ 50% or Allred score \> 6
  * HER-2 negative defined as IHC \< 2+ and negative FISH/CISH
  * Primary tumor measuring ≥ 3 cm if there is no node involvement
  * Any T if N1 or N2 disease

    * No inflammatory breast cancer (T4d)
  * No metastatic disease
* Measurable disease by mammography and/or ultrasound and MRI (if available)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Postmenopausal

  * Prior bilateral oophorectomy
  * ≥ 60 years of age
  * \< 60 years of age AND have experienced amenorrhea for ≥ 12 months in the absence of chemotherapy, tamoxifen, or toremifene OR have undergone ovarian suppression and follicle-stimulating hormone and estradiol levels in the postmenopausal range
* ECOG performance status 0-1
* ANC ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL
* Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL OR creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min
* Bilirubin normal
* AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
* Albumin \> 2.5. g/dL
* No known HIV infection
* Adequate left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at baseline defined as LVEF not below normal range by echocardiogram or MUGA
* No evidence of prior uncontrolled hypertension

  * Patients with controlled hypertension (systolic \< 150 mm Hg and/or diastolic \< 90 mm Hg) by antihypertensive therapies allowed
* No prior uncontrolled or symptomatic angina, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, clinically significant arrhythmias, or prolongation of the QTc interval
* No hemorrhagic or thrombotic events, including transient ischemic attack, pulmonary embolism, or deep-vein thrombosis, within the past 12 months
* No gross hemorrhage within the past 6 months (e.g., gastrointestinal bleeding, hemoptysis, or hematuria)
* No history or evidence of an inherited bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy at risk of bleeding
* None of the following:

  * Unable to swallow oral medications
  * Active inflammatory bowel disease
  * Partial or complete bowel obstruction
  * Chronic diarrhea
* No history of another malignancy within the past 5 years except for cured non-melanoma skin cancer or successfully treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix
* No psychiatric disease or social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements or patient unwilling or unable to comply with protocol for the duration of study
* No unstable or severe intercurrent medical condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, might interfere with the achievement of study objectives
* No known immediate or delayed hypersensitive reaction or idiosyncrasy to drugs chemically related to exemestane or sunitinib malate or their excipients

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* No prior or other concurrent chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, biologic therapy, or hormonal therapy for primary invasive breast cancer
* No concurrent anticoagulant therapy except for low-dose anticoagulants (i.e., low molecular weight heparin or aspirin) for the prevention of deep-vein thrombosis
* No chronic therapy with corticosteroids, except for steroids administered by inhalation
* More than 4 weeks since prior major surgery and ≥ 7 days since prior minor surgery
* No prior or other concurrent investigational anticancer agent
* No concurrent participation in another clinical trial
* No concurrent drugs with potential proarrhythmic activity
* No concurrent known CYP3A4 inhibitors (i.e., grapefruit, verapamil, ketoconazole, miconazole, itraconazole, erythromycin, clarithromycin, diltiazem, nefazodone, voriconazole, telithromycin, indinavir, saquinavir, ritonavir, nelfinavir, delavirdine)
* No concurrent known CYP3A4 or CYP1A2 inducers (i.e., carbamazepine, dexamethasone, felbamate, omeprazole, efavirenz, tipranavir, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone, rifabutin, rifampicin, St. John's wort)