Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Women With Stage I Breast Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically confirmed nonmetastatic, unilateral adenocarcinoma of the breast
• •* Stage I
• •* No clinically or radiologically suspicious metastases
• •* No positive sentinel lymph nodes by immunohistochemistry for tumors less than 2 cm
• •* No clinically proven positive axillary lymph nodes
• •* Tumor cells found on immunohistochemistry only allowed
• •* No clinically or radiologically contralateral suspicious lesions
• •No deeply adherent disease
• •No cutaneous invasion
• •No inflammatory disease
• •Complete surgical resection within the past 42 days
• •* At least 8 lymph nodes removed
• •Tumor at least 1 cm with no residual disease
• •Presenting with at least 1 of the following factors of a poor prognosis:
• •* Tumor greater than 2 cm
• •* Hormone receptor negative tumor
• •* Grade II or III
• •* 35 years old or under
• •Hormone receptor status:
• •* Positive or negative
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age
• •18 to 65
• •Sex
• •Female
• •Menopausal status
• •Not specified
• •Performance status
• •WHO 0-1
• •Life expectancy
• •Not specified
• •Hematopoietic
• •WBC at least 2,000/mm\^3
• •Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• •Hepatic
• •Bilirubin no greater than 1.25 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• •AST and ALT no greater than 1.25 times ULN
• •Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• •No chronic hepatitis B
• •No active hepatitis C
• •Renal
• •Creatinine no greater than 1.25 times ULN
• •Pulmonary
• •FEV normal
• •Other
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •HIV negative
• •No prior breast cancer or other malignancy
• •No familial, social, or geographical reason that would preclude study participation
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy
• •Not specified
• •Chemotherapy
• •No prior chemotherapy
• •Endocrine therapy
• •No prior anticancer hormone therapy
• •Radiotherapy
• •No prior radiotherapy
• •Surgery
• •See Disease Characteristics