Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Diagnosis of breast cancer

- Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) allowed provided the patient will not receive
tamoxifen as part of treatment for their cancer

- May not have had a prior mastectomy with requirement for mastectomy of the
contralateral breast

- No requirement for axillary lymph node dissection with a history of contralateral
mastectomy and/or contralateral axillary lymph node dissection

- Hormone receptor status meeting 1 of the following criteria:

- Hormone receptor negative and not eligible for aromatase inhibitor therapy (AI)

- Hormone receptor positive and are not receiving an AI

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

- Postmenopausal

- No known or symptomatic coronary artery disease

- No significant co-morbidities, including any of the following conditions:

- Active renal or hepatic disease

- Known uncontrolled and/or untreated peripheral arterial disease

- Uncontrolled and/or untreated hypertension

- Uncontrolled and/or untreated diabetes

- Uncontrolled and/or untreated hyperlipidemia

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- See Disease Characteristics

- More than 7 days since prior hormone replacement therapy or hormone-based
contraception

- More than 12 months since prior and no concurrent tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitor
therapy for this disease

- More than 12 months since prior and no concurrent chemotherapy for this disease

- No prior bilateral mastectomy