Statement: Patients with Cancer that has spread from a breast tumor to their bone marrow are excluded from the primary trial.
Primary_evidence: DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:   Histologically proven high-risk primary breast cancer with less than 60% chance of progression-free survival of 3 years from diagnosis   Stage II with at least 10 positive axillary nodes OR   Stage IIIA or IIIB   No histologically proven bone marrow metastasis   No CNS metastasis   Hormone receptor status:   Hormone receptor status known   PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:   Age:   Physiological age 60 or under   Menopausal status:   Not specified Performance status:   Karnofsky 80-100%   Life expectancy:   See Disease Characteristics   Hematopoietic:   Neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3   Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3   Hepatic:   Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL   SGOT or SGPT no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal   Hepatitis B antigen negative   Renal:   Creatinine no greater than 1.2 mg/dL   Creatinine clearance at least 70 mL/min   No prior hemorrhagic cystitis   Cardiovascular:   Ejection fraction at least 55% by MUGA   No prior significant valvular heart disease or arrhythmia   Pulmonary:   FEV_1 at least 60% of predicted   pO_2 at least 85 mm Hg on room air   pCO_2 at least 43 mm Hg on room air   DLCO at least 60% lower limit of predicted   Other:   No other prior malignancy except squamous cell or basal cell skin cancer or stage I or carcinoma in situ of the cervix   No CNS dysfunction that would preclude compliance   HIV negative   No sensitivity to E. coli-derived products   Not pregnant   Fertile patients must use effective contraception   PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:   Biologic therapy:   Not specified   Chemotherapy:   At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy   No prior doxorubicin of total dose exceeding 240 mg/m^2   No prior paclitaxel of total dose of at least 750 mg/m^2   No more than 12 months since prior conventional-dose adjuvant chemotherapy   Endocrine therapy:   At least 4 weeks since prior hormonal therapy   Radiotherapy:   At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy   No prior radiation to the left chest wall   Surgery: Not specified