Carboplatin and Combination Chemotherapy With or Without Veliparib in Treating Patients With Stage IIB-IIIC Breast Cancer

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: 1\) To compare the pathologic complete response (path CR) in patients with stage IIB or stage III triple negative breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant paclitaxel and carboplatin to the path CR of patients treated with paclitaxel, carboplatin, and veliparib. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: 1. Relapse free survival (follow-up period of 36 months). 2. Overall clinical response to neoadjuvant therapy. OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. ARM I: Patients receive paclitaxel intravenously (IV) and carboplatin IV on day 1 (course 1 only) or day 2 (courses 2-12). Treatment repeats every 7 days for 12 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Beginning 21 days after the last course, patients receive doxorubicin hydrochloride IV and cyclophosphamide IV on day 1. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 4 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. ARM II: Patients receive veliparib orally (PO) twice daily (BID) on days 1-5. Patients also receive paclitaxel IV and carboplatin IV on day 3 (course 1 only) or day 4 (courses 2-12). Treatment repeats every 7 days for 12 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Beginning 21 days after the last course, patients receive doxorubicin hydrochloride IV and cyclophosphamide IV on day 1. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 4 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months for 36 months.