• Correlation between change in apoptosis and proliferation with response after definitive surgery [ Time Frame: Definitive surgery ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

• Correlation between change in fludeoxyglucose F 18 positron emission tomography uptake with response after definitive surgery [ Time Frame: Definitive surgery ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

Biological: pegfilgrastim
6 mg injection on day 1 of each cycle
Other Name: Neulasta
Drug: docetaxel
100 mg per meter-squared, every 14 days for 4 cycles
Other Name: Taxotere
Procedure: conventional surgery
lumpectomy or mastectomy at end of treatment
Other Name: definitive surgery
Procedure: neoadjuvant therapy
treatment prior to definitive breast surgery

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

• Correlate baseline and change in apoptosis and proliferation with clinical and pathological response to neoadjuvant docetaxel followed by surgery in women with newly diagnosed breast cancer.

Secondary

• Correlate baseline and change in fludeoxyglucose F 18 positron emission tomography uptake with clinical and pathological response in patients treated with this regimen.
• Correlate baseline and change in gene expression profiles with clinical and pathological response in patients treated with this regimen.
• Correlate baseline and change in tumor and serum proteomic patterns with clinical and pathological response in patients treated with this regimen.

OUTLINE: This is a pilot study.

• Neoadjuvant chemotherapy: Patients receive docetaxel IV over 1 hour on day 1 and pegfilgrastim subcutaneously (SC) on day 2. Treatment repeats every 14 days for 4 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
• Surgery: Within 2-4 weeks after the completion of 4 courses of docetaxel, patients undergo breast-conserving surgery or a mastectomy at the discretion of the treating surgeon. Patients may receive additional chemotherapy prior to surgery at the discretion of the treating physician.
• Adjuvant chemotherapy: Patients receive adjuvant chemotherapy at the discretion of the treating physician.
• Radiotherapy: Patients undergo radiotherapy after the completion of all chemotherapy at the discretion of the treating physician.
• Hormonal therapy: Patients with estrogen- and/or progesterone-positive tumors receive hormonal therapy after the completion of chemotherapy and all local therapies at the discretion of the treating physician.

Patients are followed every 6 months.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 40 patients will be accrued for this study.