Combination Chemotherapy After Surgery With or Without Chinese Herbal Therapy to Treat Symptoms in Women With Breast Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed stage I, II, or early stage III breast cancer for which adjuvant doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide is recommended
• No metastatic disease
• Hormone receptor status:
• * Not specified
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• Over 18
• Sex:
• Female
• Menopausal status:
• Not specified
• Performance status:
• Karnofsky 80-100%
• Life expectancy:
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic:
• WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin at least 9.0 g/dL
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• AST no greater than 2 times normal
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• Cardiovascular:
• No evidence of acute ischemic cardiac disease on ECG
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No history of multiple severe food or medicine allergies or sensitivities
• No medical or psychological condition that would preclude study participation
• No severe concurrent illness
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• No concurrent immunotherapy
• Chemotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• No other concurrent chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• No concurrent hormonal therapy
• Radiotherapy:
• At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• No concurrent radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• Not specified
• Other:
• At least 3 weeks since prior investigational agents
• At least 3 weeks since prior herbal therapy
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No other concurrent herbal therapy or alternative medicine
• Concurrent acupuncture allowed