Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed infiltrating carcinoma of the breast meeting any of the
following criteria:

- T1-3, any N disease

- Proven ductal carcinoma in situ

- Unresected disease

- Planned mastectomy as definitive surgical procedure

- Known or suspected metastatic disease allowed provided mastectomy is
planned

- Nonpalpable tumor allowed (e.g., initial T2-3 tumor that responded to preoperative
therapy)

- No inflammatory breast cancer or other T4 features

- Successful baseline ductogram

- Baseline nipple aspiration procedure must identify a duct productive of nipple
aspirate fluid

- No severe nipple retraction

- Hormone receptor status not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

- Female patients

- Menopausal status not specified

- ECOG performance status 0-2

- Absolute neutrophil count ≥1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

- Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL

- Creatinine ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

- Bilirubin ≤ 2 times ULN

- AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No significant history of severe allergy to iodinated contrast material or
debilitating anxiety that may not allow for a ductogram

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- See Disease Characteristics

- Prior preoperative chemotherapy, trastuzumab (Herceptin®), or hormonal therapy
allowed provided it was completed 7-14 days prior to study treatment

- No prior radiation therapy, excisional biopsy, breast reduction, areolar surgery, or
breast implant (present or past history of implant that was removed)

- No other prior procedure that may have altered the breast ductal system in the
ipsilateral breast

- No other concurrent chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endocrine therapy, or biologic agents
for breast cancer

- No other concurrent investigational drugs

- Concurrent bisphosphonates allowed