DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or pathologically confirmed breast cancer meeting one of the following criteria:

* Locally advanced disease (stage IIIB disease, stage IIB/IIIA, or stage IIIC disease)
* Inflammatory disease meeting the following two clinicopathologic criteria:

* Diffuse erythema AND edema (peau d'orange) of the breast involving the majority of the skin of the breast, i.e., more than 50%
* A biopsy demonstrating cancer either within the dermal lymphatics OR in the breast parenchyma itself
* HER2/neu-negative tumor as demonstrated by 0 or 1+ (weak or no staining) by DAKO, IHC, or equivalent test OR no gene amplification by FISH\*

* 2+ by DAKO or IHC allowed provided FISH\* negative
* NOTE: \*A negative FISH test ratio is < 1.8 or FISH HER2 gene copy < 4.0; if only a positive or negative result is available from the FISH test, a negative result is acceptable for study entry
* Hormone receptor status known

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Menopausal status not specified
* Zubrod performance status 0-2
* Granulocyte count > 1,500/mm\^3
* ANC ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count > 100,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin 9.0 g/dL
* Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL
* ALT and AST ≤ 3 times ULN
* Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 ULN (unless bone metastasis is present in the absence of liver metastasis)
* Urine protein:creatinine ratio ≤ 0.5 OR urine protein < 1,000 mg on 24-hour urine collection
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* Able to take oral medications (e.g., no uncontrolled nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, lack of physical integrity of the upper gastrointestinal tract, or malabsorption syndrome)
* QTc < 500 msec by EKG
* LVEF normal by MUGA or ECHO (for patients with hypertension or for patients > 60 years of age)
* NYHA class II cardiac function by baseline ECHO/MUGA (for patients who have received central thoracic radiotherapy that included the heart in the radiotherapy port, or for patients who have a history of class II heart failure but are asymptomatic on treatment are eligible)
* No history of stroke (cerebrovascular accident), transient ischemic attack, or cardiac event within the past 12 months, including any of the following:

* Myocardial infarction (including severe/unstable angina)
* Coronary/peripheral artery bypass graft
* Symptomatic congestive heart failure
* Pulmonary embolism
* No poorly controlled hypertension, defined as recurrent or persistent (≥ 24 hours) elevated blood pressure (i.e., systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mm Hg)
* No other malignancy within the past 5 years except for adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or in situ cervical cancer
* Peripheral neuropathy < grade 2

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* No prior tyrosine kinase inhibitors
* More than 5 years since prior chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or biologic therapy (e.g., trastuzumab or bevacizumab) for invasive breast cancer
* At least 7 days since prior hormonal therapy
* At least 7 days since prior and no concurrent strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, clarithromycin, atazanavir, indinavir, nefazodone, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, telithromycin, voriconazole) or grapefruit juice
* No concurrent CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., dexamethasone, phenytoin, carbamazepine, rifampin, rifabutin, rifapentin, phenobarbital, St. John's wort)
* No other concurrent therapy for the treatment of breast cancer except for bisphosphonates
* No concurrent brachytherapy