Combination Chemotherapy With or Without Bevacizumab in Treating Patients With Nonmetastatic Breast Cancer

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed invasive breast cancer * HER2-negative disease * IHC 0/1 OR IHC 2+ and FISH negative * Must meet 1 of the following criteria: * Unifocal tumor meeting 1 of the following criteria: * T2 or T3 tumors (radiological size \> 20 mm) * T4 tumor of any size with direct extension to the chest wall or the skin * Inflammatory carcinoma with tumor of any size * Multifocal tumor meeting the following criteria: * The sum of each tumors' maximum diameter must be ≥ 20 mm (total radiological tumor size ≥ 20 mm) * Other locally advanced disease meeting 1 of the following criteria: * Any T stage with involvement of large or fixed axillary lymph nodes (radiological diameter \> 20 mm or clinical N2) and primary breast tumor of any diameter * Any T stage with involvement of large or fixed axillary lymph nodes (radiological diameter \> 20 mm or clinical N2), without a primary breast tumor identified and the presence of breast cancer in a lymph node must be histopathologically confirmed by lymph node biopsy (tru-cut or whole lymph node) * Embedded paraffin tumor block available from pre-chemotherapy biopsy and surgical specimen * Bilateral disease allowed * No evidence of metastatic disease * No prior breast cancer except for ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast surgically cured \> 10 years ago * Any hormone receptor status PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * ECOG performance status 0-2 * WBC \> 3 x 10\^9/L * Hemoglobin \> 10 g/dL * Platelet count \> 100 x 10\^9/L * AST/ALT ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2 times ULN * Bilirubin normal * Isolated elevation of bilirubin to ≤ 3 times ULN with a presumptive diagnosis of Gilbert syndrome allowed if AST/ALT and alkaline phosphatase are within normal limits * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN * PT and PTT/aPTT ≤ 1.5 times ULN * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception * Must be fit to receive chemotherapy on this trial, in the opinion of the responsible clinician, as indicated by the following criteria: * No clinically significant cardiac abnormalities * No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months * LVEF normal (at least 50%) by MUGA scan or echocardiogram * No prior ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, arterial or venous thromboembolic disease, cardiac failure, inflammatory bowel disease, gastroduodenal ulcer, symptomatic diverticulitis, or bleeding diathesis * No uncontrolled hypertension (systolic BP \> 150 mm Hg or diastolic BP \> 90 mm Hg) with or without antihypertensive medication * Patients with initial blood pressure elevations are eligible provided initiation or adjustment of antihypertensive medication lowers pressure to meet entry criteria * No other previous malignancy except basal cell carcinoma, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast treated by surgery only and disease-free for 10 years * No concurrent medical or psychiatric problem that might prevent completion of treatment or follow-up * No presence of active uncontrolled infection * No history of nephritic or nephrotic syndrome * No traumatic injury within the past 28 days * No evidence of other disease that, in the opinion of the investigator, places the patient at high risk of treatment-related complications * No nonhealing wound, peptic ulcer, or bone fracture PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * No prior neoadjuvant endocrine therapy * No prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy * No major surgical procedure within the past 28 days * No concurrent full therapeutic dose of anticoagulants or aspirin \> 325 mg/day, clopidogrel \> 75 mg/day, or corticosteroids