Docetaxel, Carboplatin, and Pegfilgrastim in Treating Patients Who Are Undergoing Surgery for Stage II or Stage III Breast Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Diagnosis of breast cancer

Clinical stage II or III disease (including T2-4, N0-3)

No clinical or radiological evidence of distant metastases

Isolated supraclavicular lymph node involvement allowed

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

18 and over

Sex

Male or female

Menopausal status

Not specified

Performance status

ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy

At least 3 months

Hematopoietic

Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
Hemoglobin ≥ 10.0 g/dL

Hepatic

Bilirubin normal

Meets 1 of the following criteria:

AST or ALT ≤ 5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) AND alkaline phosphatase normal
AST or ALT ≤ 1.5 times ULN AND alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
AST or ALT normal AND alkaline phosphatase ≤ 5 times ULN

Renal

Creatinine clearance ≥ 30 mL/min

Other

Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 30 days after study treatment
No active unresolved infection
No history of severe hypersensitivity reaction to docetaxel, carboplatin, or any other drug formulated with polysorbate 80
No known hypersensitivity to E. coli-derived proteins, filgrastim (G-CSF), or pegfilgrastim
No peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2
No other invasive malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Surgery

No prior surgical resection for invasive breast cancer

Other

No other prior therapy for invasive breast cancer