PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Any age Sex: Females only Menopausal status: Postmenopausal as defined by 1 or more of the following: Bilateral oophorectomy at least 2 months prior to diagnosis of breast cancer (with or without estrogen therapy following surgery) Prior hysterectomy with at least 1 ovary remaining and either over 60 years old or with a postmenopausal FSH level Natural menopause (last menstrual period at least 1 year prior to registration or 4-12 months prior to registration with a postmenopausal FSH level) Treated with postmenopausal estrogen therapy and either over 55 years old or with a postmenopausal FSH level Performance status: Not specified Hematopoietic: WBC at least 3,500/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin no more than 1.2 x normal Alkaline phosphatase no more than 1.2 x normal SGOT or SGPT no more than 1.2 x normal Renal: Creatinine no more than 2.0 mg/dL Cardiovascular: No uncontrolled hypertension No history of ischemic heart disease or CHF Normal ejection fraction by MUGA (required only if deemed clinically necessary for assessment) Other: No medical condition that would preclude protocol therapy: No severe diabetes No active ulcer disease No significant psychiatric disease No second malignancy within 5 years except: Adequately treated nonmelanomatous skin cancer Curatively treated Stage I cervical carcinoma Pretreatment mammogram and chest x-ray completed no more than 3 months preoperatively; blood/body fluid analyses to determine eligibility completed within 14 days prior to registration; prestudy bone scan completed within 12 weeks prior to registration and/or within 4 weeks prior to surgery