Combination Chemotherapy and Filgrastim Before Surgery in Treating Patients With HER2-Positive Breast Cancer That Can Be Removed By Surgery

Inclusion Criteria: * Have known tumor HER-2/neu expression; if determination is "intermediate" by immunohistochemistry, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) must be performed; protocol therapy is determined by HER-2/neu result * Have histologically confirmed, operable breast cancer that is either: * Hormone receptor (estrogen receptor \[ER\] or progesterone receptor \[PR\]) positive and HER2/neu positive or * ER/PR negative * Have radiographically measurable breast cancer \> 1cm (Operable lesions are T1c-T3 and N0-N2a; histologic confirmation should be by core needle biopsy only) * Be chemotherapy naïve * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of =\< 2 * Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1,500 * Platelet count \>= 100,000 * Serum creatinine =\< 1.5 x international upper limit of normal (IULN) * Bilirubin \< 2.0 * Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT)/serum glutamic pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) =\< 2 x IULN * Alkaline phosphatase =\< 2 x IULN * Have staging studies and tumor assessment prior to registration; staging studies include physical exam with bidimensional tumor measurements and mammography, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess tumor volume; sentinel lymph node dissection or axillary needle biopsy must be completed prior to enrollment; MRI and positron emission tomography (PET) (fluorodeoxyglucose \[FDG\], methoxyisobutylisonitrile \[MIBI\] and fluoroestradiol \[FES\]) imaging will be done before enrollment if clinically indicated to assess tumor volume or may be done within the first month of study participation on another institutional protocol * Patients with clinically apparent cardiac disease, or history of same, are not eligible; patients who are \>= 60 years of age or who have a history of hypertension must have an echocardiogram or multi gated acquisition scan (MUGA) prior to enrollment; patients with breast cancer that is HER-2/neu positive who will receive herceptin (trastuzumab) must have an echocardiogram or MUGA scan; the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) must be within the institutional normal range; if LVEF is \> 75%, the investigator should consider having the LVEF reviewed or repeating the MUGA prior to registration * Women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test within seven days prior to registration * Be informed of the investigational nature of this study and provide written informed consent in accordance with institutional and federal guidelines prior to study specific screening procedures Exclusion Criteria: * Primary tumor =\< 1 cm, not measurable; inflammatory disease * Pregnant or lactating; woman of childbearing potential with either a positive or no pregnancy test at baseline are excluded; postmenopausal woman must have been amenorrheic for at least 12 months to be considered of non-childbearing potential; patients must agree to continue contraception for 30 days from the date of the last study drug administration; woman of childbearing potential not using a reliable and appropriate contraceptive method are excluded * Evidence of distant metastatic disease * Prior chemotherapy or hormonal therapy for breast cancer * Except for the following no other malignancy is allowed: synchronous ipsilateral breast cancer of the same subtype (ER/PR, HER-2/neu), adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, in situ cervical cancer or other stage I or II cancer from which the patient has been disease free for at least 5 years * Prior unanticipated severe reaction to fluoropyrimidine therapy, or known sensitivity to 5-fluorouracil * Previous enrollment in an investigational drug study within the past four weeks * History of uncontrolled seizures, central nervous system disorders, or psychiatric disability judged by the investigator to be clinically significant, precluding informed consent, or interfering with compliance with oral drug intake * Patients with cardiac disease that would preclude the use of Adriamycin, Taxol or Herceptin are not eligible * Active cardiac disease: * Angina pectoris that requires the use of antianginal medication * Cardiac arrhythmia requiring medication * Severe conduction abnormality * Clinically significant valvular disease * Cardiomegaly on chest x-ray * Ventricular hypertrophy on electrocardiogram (EKG) * Uncontrolled hypertension, (diastolic greater than 100 mm/Hg or systolic \> 200 mm/hg) * Current use of digitalis or beta blockers for congestive heart failure (CHF) * Clinically significant pericardial effusion * History of cardiac disease: * Myocardial infarction documented as a clinical diagnosis or by EKG or any other test * Documented congestive heart failure * Documented cardiomyopathy * Documented arrhythmia or cardiac valvular disease that requires medication or is medically significant * Major surgery within 4 weeks of the start of study treatment without complete recovery * Lack of physical integrity of the upper gastrointestinal tract or malabsorption syndrome * Known, existing uncontrolled coagulopathy * Unwillingness to give written informed consent * Unwillingness to participate or inability to comply with the protocol for the duration of the study