RATIONALE: Zoledronate plus calcium and vitamin D may prevent bone loss in patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. It is not yet known which regimen is more effective in preventing bone loss.

PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is comparing two regimens of zoledronate plus calcium and vitamin D to see how well they work in preventing bone loss in women who are receiving adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.

OBJECTIVES:

• Compare the bone mineral density in the lumbar spine after 12 and 36 months of therapy with zoledronate, calcium, and cholecalciferol (vitamin D) in women with breast cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, open-label, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to intent to treat with tamoxifen (yes vs no) and node status (negative vs positive vs unknown [for patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy]). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.

• Arm I: Beginning on the first day of adjuvant chemotherapy (or within 3 months after the first day), patients receive zoledronate IV over at least 15 minutes once every 3 months during months 1-24 and oral calcium and oral cholecalciferol (vitamin D) daily during months 1-36.
• Arm II: Beginning on the first day of adjuvant chemotherapy (or within 3 months after the first day), patients receive oral calcium and oral vitamin D daily during months 1-36 and zoledronate IV over at least 15 minutes once every 3 months during months 13-36.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Approximately 400 patients (200 per treatment arm) will be accrued for this study within 24 months.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the breast by fine needle aspirate, biopsy (tru-cut, core, stereotactic), lumpectomy, or modified radical mastectomy

  • Stage I-III (any T, any N, M0)
  • Stage IV due solely to supraclavicular node involvement allowed

• Plan to use adjuvant chemotherapy* with or without adjuvant endocrine therapy*

  • Subsequent adjuvant hormonal therapy with an aromatase inhibitor allowed in women rendered postmenopausal by adjuvant chemotherapy NOTE: *Must be specified prior to study entry

• Hormone receptor status:

  • Not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 40 and over

Sex:

• Female

Menopausal status:

• See Disease Characteristics

• Premenopausal, defined as actively menstruating or last menstrual period occurred within 6 months prior to study entry

  • Prior hysterectomy without bilateral oophorectomy and estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone within premenopausal range prior to the initiation of chemotherapy allowed

Performance status:

• Not specified

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Not specified

Hepatic:

• Not specified

Renal:

• Not specified

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No more than 3 months since prior adjuvant chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• See Disease Characteristics

Radiotherapy:

• Not specified

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics
• See Menopausal status

Other:

• No other concurrent bisphosphonates
• No concurrent digoxin
• No concurrent tetracycline
• Concurrent neoadjuvant therapy allowed
• Concurrent enrollment on therapeutic adjuvant clinical trials allowed provided the therapeutic trial does not preclude participation in this trial