ICI 182780 in Treating Women With Metastatic Breast Cancer

RATIONALE: Estrogen can stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells. Hormone therapy using ICI 182780 may fight breast cancer by blocking the activity of estrogen in the tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of ICI 182780 in treating patients who have metastatic breast cancer that has not responded to previous hormone therapy.

OBJECTIVES: * Determine the complete and partial objective response rate and duration of response in women with metastatic breast cancer who have failed aromatase inhibitor therapy treated with fulvestrant. * Determine the time to disease progression and overall survival of women treated with this drug. * Determine the toxicity of this drug in these women. OUTLINE: Patients receive fulvestrant intramuscularly on day 1. Courses repeat approximately every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients are followed every 3 months for 5 years or until disease progression. After disease progression, patients are followed every 3 months for 2 years and then every 6 months for 3 years.