Clinical Research Directory

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed primary breast cancer * No histology other than carcinoma * Node-positive disease * Must have at least 1 involved axillary node or internal mammary node * Previously resected disease * Has undergone radical surgery (i.e., mastectomy or conservative surgery) with axillary node dissection within the past 7 weeks * No inflammatory carcinoma * No prior or concurrent ipsilateral or contralateral invasive breast carcinoma * No metastatic disease, including metastasis in the ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph nodes * Hormone receptor status not specified PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Female * Menopausal status not specified * ECOG performance status 0-1 * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³ * WBC ≥ 4,000/mm³ * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ * Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN * AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No chronic liver or renal disease * No other serious medical illness requiring medication * No other malignancy except adequately treated, cone-biopsied in situ carcinoma of the cervix or basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin * No symptomatic peripheral neuropathy \> grade 2 * No hypersensitivity to study drugs or their components * No recent myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, or serious arrhythmia PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics * No prior chemotherapy * No prior cytotoxic regimens * No prior radiation therapy, except for intraoperative radiation therapy