DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed infiltrating ductal breast cancer by core needle biopsy

  • Mixed ductal and lobular disease allowed
  • Infiltrating lobular cancer allowed in the run-in portion only

• Unresected, clinically measurable disease, meeting 1 of the following clinical staging criteria:

  • T2, T3, or T4 lesion, any N, M0
  • T1c, N1-3,M0
• Patients with skin metastases to the ipsilateral breast for whom chemotherapy is planned prior to definitive surgery are eligible for the primary study portion
• HER2-negative disease

• Hormone receptor status* meeting 1 of the following criteria:

  • Estrogen receptor (ER)-negative and progesterone receptor (PR)-negative
  • ER-positive (grade II or III) and PR-positive or PR-negative NOTE: *Any ER or PR status for the run-in portion

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status 0-1
• Menopausal status not specified
• ANC ≥ 1,500/mm³
• Platelet count ≥ 150,000/mm³
• Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL
• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min
• Total bilirubin normal
• AST(SGOT) and ALT(SGPT) ≤ 2.5 times (ULN)
• alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
• PT such that INR ≤ 1.5 (or an in-range INR, usually between 2 and 3, if a patient is on a stable dose of therapeutic warfarin) and PTT ≤ ULN
• Adequate cardiac function defined as no evidence of PR prolongation or AV block on baseline electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Willing to use effective, non-hormonal contraception while on treatment and for at least 3 months thereafter
• Not pregnant or nursing
• No pre-existing peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2
• No history of severe hypersensitivity reaction to any drug formulated with polysorbate 80 or to E. coli-derived products
• No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to vorinostat
• No medical condition which, in the opinion of the investigator, puts the patient at risk of potentially serious complications while on this therapy

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• At least 4 weeks since prior valproic acid or other histone deacetylase inhibitor

• No prior chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or endocrine therapy for this cancer

  • Prior tamoxifen or raloxifene or another agent for prevention of breast cancer allowed as long as the patient has discontinued the treatment ≥ 1 month prior to baseline study biopsy
• No systemic treatment for prior cancer within the past 5 years (primary study portion)
• No prior or ongoing systemic treatment for this cancer (primary study portion)
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
• No other concurrent histone deacetylase inhibitor
• No other concurrent chemotherapy, antiestrogen therapy, radiotherapy, or other investigational systemic therapy
• No other concurrent biologic therapy
• No other concurrent investigational drugs