DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed invasive breast cancer by core-needle biopsy

  • Stage II (T1 cN1, T2 N0, T2 N1, or T3 N0) disease OR stage III (T1 cN2, T2 N2, T3 N1, or T3 N2) disease
• Newly diagnosed disease

• Measurable disease by physical exam or ultrasound

  • Residual tumor ≥ 1 cm at the primary site allowed

• Able to undergo surgical treatment with either lumpectomy or mastectomy

  • No disease with direct extension to the chest wall or skin (T4a-c)
• No inflammatory breast cancer (T4d)
• No stage I (T1a N0 or T1b N0) disease
• No locally recurrent disease
• No metastatic disease
• No brain tumors

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Male or female
• Menopausal status not specified
• ECOG performance status 0-2
• WBC ≥ 3,000/mm³
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
• Bilirubin normal
• AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• PT, INR, and PTT ≤ 1.2 times ULN
• Creatinine normal OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
• Proteinuria ≤ 1+ by 2 consecutive dipsticks ≥ 1 week apart
• QTc interval < 500 msec
• No significant ECG abnormalities

• No condition that would inhibit ability to swallow and retain oral medications, including the following:

  • Gastrointestinal tract disease
  • Requirement for IV alimentation
  • Prior surgical procedures affecting absorption
  • Active peptic ulcer disease
• No abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, or intra-abdominal abscess within the past 28 days
• No serious or nonhealing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture

• No history of any of the following within the past 12 months:

  • Myocardial infarction
  • Cardiac arrhythmia
  • Admission for unstable angina
  • Cardiac angioplasty or stenting
• No venous thrombosis within the past 12 weeks
• No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart failure
• No cerebrovascular accident within the past 6 months
• No uncontrolled hypertension, defined as systolic blood pressure (BP) ≥ 140 mm Hg and diastolic BP ≥ 90 mm Hg
• No concurrent uncontrolled illness, including but not limited to, ongoing or active infection or psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study participation
• No history of allergic reactions to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition as pazopanib hydrochloride or other agents used in this study
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior chemotherapy or hormonal therapy for this primary breast cancer
• Concurrent medication or substances known to affect or with the potential to affect the activity or pharmacokinetics of pazopanib hydrochloride must be approved by the principal investigator
• No CYP2C9 inhibitors for ≥ 14 days prior to, during, and for 1-2 weeks after completion of study therapy

• No concurrent therapeutic warfarin

  • Low molecular weight heparin or prophylactic low-dose warfarin allowed
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No other concurrent anticancer agents or therapies, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormonal therapy, radiotherapy, or surgery
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients