Nilotinib in Preventing Paclitaxel-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients With Stage I-III Breast Cancer

Inclusion Criteria: * Men or Women with a known diagnosis of breast cancer stages I-III. * Be eligible for weekly or dose dense single agent paclitaxel therapy based on physician assessment. * Have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status =\< 2 * Patients with ECOG scores of 3 or greater typically do not receive chemotherapeutic intervention. * Leukocytes \>= 2,000/uL. * Absolute neutrophil count \>= 1,500/uL. * Platelets \>= 100,000/uL. * Total bilirubin =\< upper limit of normal (ULN). * Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase \[SGOT\])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase \[SGPT\]) =\< 2.5 x institutional upper limit of normal. * Creatinine within normal institutional limits OR \>= 50 mL/min for patients with creatinine levels above institutional normal. * Corrected QT interval (QTc) \< 450 milliseconds. * If a female subject is with child bearing potential, she must have a negative pregnancy test at screening. * Female subjects of child-bearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception prior to study entry, for the duration of study participation and for 3 months after completion of study treatment administration. Adequate contraception includes methods such as oral contraceptives, double barrier method (condom plus spermicide or diaphragm), or abstaining from sexual intercourse. * Be willing and able to understand and sign the written informed consent document. …