OUTLINE: Patients receive doxorubicin IV on day 1 every 2 weeks for 3 courses. After 3 weeks of rest, patients receive docetaxel IV over 1 hour on day 1 every 2 weeks for 3 courses. Filgrastim (G-CSF) is administered subcutaneously on days 3-10 of each doxorubicin and docetaxel course. Within 6 weeks of completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, patients undergo surgery with mastectomy or lumpectomy and axillary lymph node dissection.