Combination Chemotherapy With or Without Bevacizumab in Treating Patients With Nonmetastatic Breast Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed invasive breast cancer
* HER2-negative disease

  * IHC 0/1 OR IHC 2+ and FISH negative
* Must meet 1 of the following criteria:

  * Unifocal tumor meeting 1 of the following criteria:

    * T2 or T3 tumors (radiological size \> 20 mm)
    * T4 tumor of any size with direct extension to the chest wall or the skin
    * Inflammatory carcinoma with tumor of any size
  * Multifocal tumor meeting the following criteria:

    * The sum of each tumors' maximum diameter must be ≥ 20 mm (total radiological tumor size ≥ 20 mm)
  * Other locally advanced disease meeting 1 of the following criteria:

    * Any T stage with involvement of large or fixed axillary lymph nodes (radiological diameter \> 20 mm or clinical N2) and primary breast tumor of any diameter
    * Any T stage with involvement of large or fixed axillary lymph nodes (radiological diameter \> 20 mm or clinical N2), without a primary breast tumor identified and the presence of breast cancer in a lymph node must be histopathologically confirmed by lymph node biopsy (tru-cut or whole lymph node)
* Embedded paraffin tumor block available from pre-chemotherapy biopsy and surgical specimen
* Bilateral disease allowed
* No evidence of metastatic disease
* No prior breast cancer except for ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast surgically cured \> 10 years ago
* Any hormone receptor status

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* ECOG performance status 0-2
* WBC \> 3 x 10\^9/L
* Hemoglobin \> 10 g/dL
* Platelet count \> 100 x 10\^9/L
* AST/ALT ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2 times ULN
* Bilirubin normal

  * Isolated elevation of bilirubin to ≤ 3 times ULN with a presumptive diagnosis of Gilbert syndrome allowed if AST/ALT and alkaline phosphatase are within normal limits
* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* PT and PTT/aPTT ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception
* Must be fit to receive chemotherapy on this trial, in the opinion of the responsible clinician, as indicated by the following criteria:

  * No clinically significant cardiac abnormalities
  * No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
  * LVEF normal (at least 50%) by MUGA scan or echocardiogram
* No prior ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, arterial or venous thromboembolic disease, cardiac failure, inflammatory bowel disease, gastroduodenal ulcer, symptomatic diverticulitis, or bleeding diathesis
* No uncontrolled hypertension (systolic BP \> 150 mm Hg or diastolic BP \> 90 mm Hg) with or without antihypertensive medication

  * Patients with initial blood pressure elevations are eligible provided initiation or adjustment of antihypertensive medication lowers pressure to meet entry criteria
* No other previous malignancy except basal cell carcinoma, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast treated by surgery only and disease-free for 10 years
* No concurrent medical or psychiatric problem that might prevent completion of treatment or follow-up
* No presence of active uncontrolled infection
* No history of nephritic or nephrotic syndrome
* No traumatic injury within the past 28 days
* No evidence of other disease that, in the opinion of the investigator, places the patient at high risk of treatment-related complications
* No nonhealing wound, peptic ulcer, or bone fracture

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* No prior neoadjuvant endocrine therapy
* No prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy
* No major surgical procedure within the past 28 days
* No concurrent full therapeutic dose of anticoagulants or aspirin \> 325 mg/day, clopidogrel \> 75 mg/day, or corticosteroids