Sunitinib Malate and Exemestane in Treating Postmenopausal Women With Breast Cancer

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed invasive breast carcinoma meeting the following criteria: * Estrogen receptor-positive ≥ 50% or Allred score \> 6 * HER-2 negative defined as IHC \< 2+ and negative FISH/CISH * Primary tumor measuring ≥ 3 cm if there is no node involvement * Any T if N1 or N2 disease * No inflammatory breast cancer (T4d) * No metastatic disease * Measurable disease by mammography and/or ultrasound and MRI (if available) PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Postmenopausal * Prior bilateral oophorectomy * ≥ 60 years of age * \< 60 years of age AND have experienced amenorrhea for ≥ 12 months in the absence of chemotherapy, tamoxifen, or toremifene OR have undergone ovarian suppression and follicle-stimulating hormone and estradiol levels in the postmenopausal range * ECOG performance status 0-1 * ANC ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL * Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL OR creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min * Bilirubin normal * AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN * Albumin \> 2.5. g/dL * No known HIV infection * Adequate left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at baseline defined as LVEF not below normal range by echocardiogram or MUGA * No evidence of prior uncontrolled hypertension * Patients with controlled hypertension (systolic \< 150 mm Hg and/or diastolic \< 90 mm Hg) by antihypertensive therapies allowed * No prior uncontrolled or symptomatic angina, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, clinically significant arrhythmias, or prolongation of the QTc interval * No hemorrhagic or thrombotic events, including transient ischemic attack, pulmonary embolism, or deep-vein thrombosis, within the past 12 months * No gross hemorrhage within the past 6 months (e.g., gastrointestinal bleeding, hemoptysis, or hematuria) * No history or evidence of an inherited bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy at risk of bleeding * None of the following: * Unable to swallow oral medications * Active inflammatory bowel disease * Partial or complete bowel obstruction * Chronic diarrhea * No history of another malignancy within the past 5 years except for cured non-melanoma skin cancer or successfully treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix * No psychiatric disease or social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements or patient unwilling or unable to comply with protocol for the duration of study * No unstable or severe intercurrent medical condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, might interfere with the achievement of study objectives * No known immediate or delayed hypersensitive reaction or idiosyncrasy to drugs chemically related to exemestane or sunitinib malate or their excipients PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics * No prior or other concurrent chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, biologic therapy, or hormonal therapy for primary invasive breast cancer * No concurrent anticoagulant therapy except for low-dose anticoagulants (i.e., low molecular weight heparin or aspirin) for the prevention of deep-vein thrombosis * No chronic therapy with corticosteroids, except for steroids administered by inhalation * More than 4 weeks since prior major surgery and ≥ 7 days since prior minor surgery * No prior or other concurrent investigational anticancer agent * No concurrent participation in another clinical trial * No concurrent drugs with potential proarrhythmic activity * No concurrent known CYP3A4 inhibitors (i.e., grapefruit, verapamil, ketoconazole, miconazole, itraconazole, erythromycin, clarithromycin, diltiazem, nefazodone, voriconazole, telithromycin, indinavir, saquinavir, ritonavir, nelfinavir, delavirdine) * No concurrent known CYP3A4 or CYP1A2 inducers (i.e., carbamazepine, dexamethasone, felbamate, omeprazole, efavirenz, tipranavir, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone, rifabutin, rifampicin, St. John's wort)