Combination Chemotherapy and Trastuzumab in Treating Women With Metastatic Breast Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed metastatic adenocarcinoma of the breast
• Strong overexpression of HER-2 by immunohistochemistry (3+)
• * 0-2+ tumors allowed if demonstrate amplification by FISH
• Bidimensionally measurable disease
• Brain metastasis must not represent sole site of disease
• No untreated brain metastasis receiving radiotherapy
• Previously treated brain metastases in continued response to radiotherapy and/or surgery for at least 2 months allowed
• Hormone receptor status:
• * Positive or negative
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Sex:
• Female
• Menopausal status:
• Not specified
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• At least 3 months
• Hematopoietic:
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• AST no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (5 times ULN if liver metastases present)
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• Cardiovascular:
• No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• No congestive heart failure or unstable angina
• No clinically significant pericardial effusion or arrhythmia
• Other:
• No other invasive malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No active uncontrolled infection
• No prior allergic reaction to Cremophor EL, anesthetics, or muscle relaxants
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• No concurrent filgrastim (G-CSF)
• Chemotherapy:
• Prior adjuvant chemotherapy allowed
• Prior taxane therapy allowed
• No prior cisplatin or carboplatin
• No prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior radiotherapy to more than 25% of marrow
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• No concurrent radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior surgery and recovered
• Other:
• At least 7 days since prior parenteral antibiotics