OBJECTIVES: I. Assess the feasibility of obtaining serial biopsies in patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced breast cancer. II. Assess the feasibility of performing assays of apoptosis and of markers that predict response on specimens obtained in these patients. III. Correlate the results of the assays with clinical and pathologic response rates. IV. Establish a baseline of change in apoptosis rates for future studies. V. Obtain serial blood samples and tumor tissue for future biological studies.