SU5416 and Doxorubicin in Treating Patients With Stage IIIB or Stage IV Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Patients receive doxorubicin IV continuously over 72 hours on days 1-3 of course 1. For all subsequent courses, patients receive doxorubicin as in course 1. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 5 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

For all subsequent courses, after course 1 patients SU5416 IV over 1 hour twice weekly (on days 1 and 4) beginning on week 2 of course 2. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 5 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Patients undergo a modified radical mastectomy.

Patients undergo radiotherapy to the chest wall and regional lymph nodes.

Patients with estrogen or progesterone receptor positive disease receive oral tamoxifen for 5 years after radiotherapy.