Statement: Patients with No QT prolongation are excluded from the primary trial.
Primary_evidence: DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:   Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the breast   Bilateral synchronous breast tumors allowed   Any nodal status or tumor size allowed   No stage IV disease   HER2/neu-positive disease   3+ by IHC OR FISH-amplified   Hormone receptor status not specified   PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:   Male or female   Menopausal status not specified   ECOG performance status 0-1   Absolute neutrophil count  1,000/mm³   Platelet count  100,000/mm³   Bilirubin  1.1 mg/dL   SGOT or SGPT  2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)   Not pregnant or nursing   Negative pregnancy test   Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception during and after completion of study therapy   LVEF  50% by MUGA scan   No peripheral neuropathy > grade 1   No active second malignancy within the past 5 years except for adequately treated nonmelanoma skin cancer or in situ carcinoma of the cervix   No known allergy or hypersensitivity to doxorubicin hydrochloride, cyclophosphamide, paclitaxel, or other drugs formulated in Cremophor EL   No psychiatric illness or concurrent medical conditions that would preclude study treatment   No other conditions, including any of the following:   Unstable angina   Congestive heart failure   Myocardial infarction within the past 12 months   High-risk uncontrolled arrhythmias (e.g., ventricular tachycardia, high-grade AV block, or supraventricular arrhythmias that are not adequately controlled)   No QT prolongation (> 500 ms)   No active unresolved infections   No sensitivity to E. coli derived proteins   PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:   Prior hormonal therapy for chemoprevention allowed   No prior trastuzumab (Herceptin®)   No prior anthracyclines   No concurrent hormonal therapy, including hormonal contraception (e.g., birth control pills or ovarian hormonal or replacement therapy)   No other concurrent chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, or biotherapy for breast cancer   No concurrent drugs that may prolong the QT