Neoadjuvant or Adjuvant Epirubicin, Cyclophosphamide, and Paclitaxel in Treating Women With Stage I, Stage II, or Stage III Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVES: * Determine the feasibility and safety of neoadjuvant or adjuvant epirubicin, cyclophosphamide, and paclitaxel, in terms of the absence of any grade 3 or higher toxicity (aside from alopecia), in women with high-risk stage I-III breast cancer. OUTLINE: This is a pilot study. * Neoadjuvant or adjuvant EC therapy: Patients receive epirubicin IV over 3-5 minutes and cyclophosphamide IV (EC) on day 1 and filgrastim (G-CSF) subcutaneously on days 2-9 or 10. Treatment repeats every 10-11 days for 4 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. * Neoadjuvant or adjuvant paclitaxel therapy: After the completion of EC therapy, patients receive paclitaxel IV over 3 hours on day 1. Patients also receive G-CSF as in EC therapy. Treatment repeats every 10-11 days for 4 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients who have not had prior surgery undergo definitive surgery after the completion of chemotherapy. Patients also may receive adjuvant radiotherapy and/or hormonal therapy at the discretion of the treating physician. Patients are followed every 4 months for 3 years and then every 6 months for 2 years. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 11-38 patients will be accrued for this study within 1...