Chemotherapy Followed by Surgery in Treating Women With Stage II or Stage III Breast Cancer

Filgrastim (G-CSF) is administered subcutaneously on days 3-10 of each 2 week course.

Stratum I and II: receive cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil (CMF) for 4 courses

Docetaxel IV over 1 hour on days 43, 57, and 71.

Doxorubicin IV on days 1, 15, and 29.

Patients with positive estrogen or progesterone receptors receive oral tamoxifen daily for 5 years.

Stratum III:may receive high dose chemotherapy with stem cell support

Fourteen to 21 days following preoperative chemotherapy, patients undergo a radical, modified radical, or breast sparing surgery plus axillary lymph node dissection.

Radiotherapy is administered 5 days a week for 5.5 weeks.