Docetaxel or Paclitaxel in Treating Women With Unresectable Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically proven unresectable locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer
• •* Refractory or relapsed disease after neoadjuvant or adjuvant anthracyclines
• •At least one bidimensionally measurable lesion
• •No brain metastasis
• •No bone metastases, lymphangitis carcinomatous, ascites, or pleural effusion as sole site of metastatic disease
• •Hormone receptor status:
• •* Known hormone receptor status
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age:
• •18 to 75
• •Sex:
• •Female
• •Menopausal status:
• •Not specified
• •Performance status:
• •ECOG 0-2 OR
• •Karnofsky 60-100%
• •Life expectancy:
• •At least 12 weeks
• •Hematopoietic:
• •Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• •Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• •Hepatic:
• •AST and ALT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• •Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• •Bilirubin normal
• •Renal:
• •Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• •Cardiovascular:
• •No uncontrolled angina or arrhythmia
• •No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• •No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
• •Other:
• •No sensitive neuropathy worse than grade 2
• •No other significant, uncontrolled medical or psychiatric condition
• •No serious active infection
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• •No other prior malignancy except treated nonmelanomatous skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy:
• •At least 4 weeks since prior specific antitumoral immunotherapy
• •Chemotherapy:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •No prior taxanes
• •At least 4 weeks since other prior specific antitumoral chemotherapy
• •Endocrine therapy:
• •At least 4 weeks since prior specific antitumoral hormonal therapy
• •Radiotherapy:
• •At least 4 weeks since prior specific antitumoral radiotherapy
• •Surgery:
• •Not specified
• •Other:
• •No other concurrent experimental medication