Sunitinib Malate, Paclitaxel, Doxorubicin Hydrochloride, and Cyclophosphamide Before Surgery in Treating Patients With Stage IIB-IIIC Breast Cancer

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I.To assess the microscopic pathologic complete response rate (pCR) in patients treated with a two part, neoadjuvant regimen consisting of daily oral sunitinib with weekly IV paclitaxel for 12 weeks followed by weekly doxorubicin and daily oral cyclophosphamide given with filgrastim (G-CSF) support for 15 weeks. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To assess the association between microscopic pCR and clinical complete response rate at the primary tumor site. II. To assess the relapse rate, overall and disease-free survival in patients with breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy consisting of daily oral sunitinib with weekly IV paclitaxel for 12 weeks followed weekly doxorubicin and daily oral cyclophosphamide given with G-CSF support for 15 weeks. III. To assess the toxicity associated with these regimens. IV. To explore the relationship between planned correlative laboratory and clinical studies and indicators of efficacy such as pathologic response, clinical response and relapse. OUTLINE: Patients receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy comprising sunitinib malate orally (PO) once daily and paclitaxel intravenously (IV) over 1 hour once weekly for 8-12 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Beginning within 3 weeks of completion of sunitinib malate and paclitaxel, patients receive doxorubicin IV once weekly for 15 weeks, cyclophosphamide PO once daily for 15 weeks, and filgrastim subcutaneously (SC) on days 2-7 for 16 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Beginning 3-6 weeks after completion of chemotherapy, patients undergo surgery. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months for 2 years, every 6 months for 3 years, and then annually thereafter.