Neoadjuvant and Adjuvant Exemestane in Treating Postmenopausal Women With Locally Advanced Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically or cytologically confirmed breast cancer
• Locally advanced disease (stage II or III)
• Not amenable to breast-conserving therapy at the time of diagnosis
• Measurable disease meeting 1 of the following criteria:
• Bidimensionally measurable palpable lesion at least 1 cm by caliper
• Unidimensionally measurable lesion at least 1 cm by a positive mammogram, ultrasound, or MRI
• No evidence of disease outside the breast or chest wall except ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes
• Hormone receptor status:
• Estrogen and/or progesterone receptor positive
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• Postmenopausal
• Sex
• Female
• Menopausal status
• Postmenopausal, defined as any of the following:
• Over 60 years of age
• Over 45 years of age with an intact uterus and amenorrhea for more than 12 months
• Prior hysterectomy with follicle-stimulating hormone levels within the postmenopausal range
• Prior ovarian ablation (i.e., bilateral surgical)
• Performance status
• ECOG 0-3
• Life expectancy
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic
• Not specified
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Renal
• Creatinine less than 2 mg/dL
• Other
• No other prior or concurrent cancer except nonmetastatic nonmelanoma skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or cancer cured by surgery within the past 5 years
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• No prior biologic therapy for breast cancer
• Chemotherapy
• No prior chemotherapy for breast cancer
• Endocrine therapy
• No prior hormonal therapy for breast cancer
• Radiotherapy
• No prior radiotherapy for breast cancer
• Surgery
• Not specified