Patient description: The patient is a 45-year-old postmenopausal woman with cytologically confirmed breast cancer. A core biopsy revealed a 3 cm invasive ductal breast carcinoma in the left upper outer quadrant. The tumor is HER2-positive and ER/PR negative. Axillary sampling revealed 5 positive lymph nodes. CXR was remarkable for metastatic lesions. The patient is using multivitamins and iron supplements. She does not smoke or consume alcohol. She is not sexually active and has no children. She is a candidate for tumor resection and agrees to do so prior to chemotherapy.

Clinical trial eligibility criteria: eligible ages (years): 18.0-999.0,  Breast Adenocarcinoma Estrogen Receptor- Negative Breast Cancer Estrogen Receptor-positive Breast Cancer HER2/Neu Negative Invasive Breast Carcinoma Progesterone Receptor Negative Progesterone Receptor Positive Tumor Stage II Breast Cancer Stage IIA Breast Cancer Stage IIB Breast Cancer Stage IIIA Breast Cancer Stage IIIB Breast Cancer Triple-negative Breast Carcinoma Invasive adenocarcinoma of the breast diagnosed by core needle biopsy Breast cancer determined to be HER2-negative per current American Society of Clinical Oncologists/College of American Pathologists (ASCO/CAP) HER2 Guidelines (If IHC was performed, IHC 0 or 1+; if fluorescence in situ hybridization [FISH] or other in situ hybridization test, dual probe HER2/CEP17 ratio < 2.0 with an average HER2 copy number < 4.0 signals/cell) Breast cancer determined to be hormone receptor-positive or hormone receptor-negative defined as follows Hormone receptor-positive: ≥ 10% staining by IHC for either estrogen receptor (ER) or progesterone receptor (PgR) Hormone receptor-negative: < 10% staining by IHC for both ER and PgR Locally advanced breast cancer defined as any of the following per American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Staging T2 based on tumor measurements by physical examination or imaging with clinically positive regional lymph nodes (cN1 or cN2), irrespective of hormone receptor status Hormone receptor-negative breast cancer patients with tumor size of 3-5 cm measured by physical examination or imaging with clinically negative regional lymph nodes (cN0) Any T3 based on tumor measurements by physical examination or imaging Any T4 (including inflammatory breast cancer), irrespective of hormone receptor status  Breast cancer treatment for the currently diagnosed breast cancer including radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or endocrine therapy prior to study registration Administration of a live vaccine within 30 days prior to initiating study treatment Note: Seasonal influenza vaccines for injection are generally inactivated flu vaccines and are permitted; however, intranasal influenza vaccines (eg, Flu-Mist) are live attenuated vaccines, and are not allowed Administration of a monoclonal antibody within 4 weeks prior to initiating study treatment or has not recovered (ie, ≤ grade 1 or at baseline) from AEs due to a monoclonal antibody administered more than 4 weeks earlier Administration of any investigational agent within 4 weeks prior to initiating study treatment Evidence of metastatic disease that is extensive enough to preclude consideration of subsequent definitive surgery for the primary tumor History of ipsilateral invasive breast cancer or ipsilateral ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) Note: Patients with history of ipsilateral lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) are eligible History of solid organ or allogeneic stem cell transplant Previous therapy for any malignancy with an anthracycline or taxane for Cohorts A and B and carboplatin for Cohort A Cardiac disease that would preclude administration of the drugs included in the study treatment regimen including, but not limited to Angina pectoris that requires the current use of anti-anginal medication