Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the breast that is potentially curable

- T0-4 (dermal involvement on pathology assessment only), N0-2, M0

- No clinical T4 disease

- Previously treated with one of the following:

- Total mastectomy and level II axillary node dissection

- Partial mastectomy and level II axillary node dissection with planned breast
radiotherapy after completion of adjuvant chemotherapy regimen*

- Patients with a positive sentinel node biopsy must undergo level II axillary
node dissection or sufficient nodal sampling

- If microscopic residual in situ or invasive disease is present at total or
partial mastectomy margins, planned radiotherapy must also include a boost to
the tumor bed

- No residual tumor in the axilla after dissection

- Axillary node positive

- Negative nodes allowed if the tumor is ≥ 1 cm and 1 or more of the following
criteria defining high-risk node-negative disease are met:

- Histological grade III or,

- Estrogen receptor negative or,

- Lymphatic/vascular invasion

- Hormone receptor status:

- Estrogen receptor status known

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- 60 and under

Sex:

- Female

Menopausal status:

- Pre- or postmenopausal

Performance status:

- ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

- At least 5 years

Hematopoietic:

- WBC ≥ 3,000/mm^3

- Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

Renal:

- Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN

Cardiovascular:

- LVEF ≥ limit of normal by MUGA or echocardiogram

- No arrhythmia requiring ongoing treatment

- No congestive heart failure

- No documented coronary artery disease

Other:

- No other malignancy except:

- Adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ
of the cervix

- Ductal or lobular carcinoma in situ that has been curatively treated by surgery
alone

- Other prior malignancies (except breast cancer) curatively treated more than 5
years prior to study entry

- No serious underlying medical illness or psychiatric or addictive disorder that would
preclude study compliance

- No known hypersensitivity to E. coli-derived products, mammalian-cell derived
products, or any study agents

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective non-hormonal contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- No prior immunotherapy for breast cancer

- No concurrent pegfilgrastim or darbepoetin alfa (Arm II)

- Allowed on arms 1 and 3 if medically necessary

Chemotherapy:

- No prior chemotherapy for breast cancer

Endocrine therapy:

- No prior hormonal therapy for breast cancer

- No concurrent hormone replacement therapy

- No concurrent selective estrogen-receptor modulators (e.g., raloxifene for the
treatment or prevention of osteoporosis)

- No concurrent oral contraceptives (i.e., birth control pills)

- No other concurrent aromatase inhibitors

Radiotherapy:

- See Disease Characteristics

- No prior radiotherapy for breast cancer

Surgery:

- See Disease Characteristics

- No more than 12 weeks since prior total or partial mastectomy (including re-excision
of margins)

Other:

- At least 30 days since prior investigational drugs

- No other concurrent investigational drugs

- Concurrent bisphosphonates for the treatment or prevention of osteoporosis allowed