Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Women With Breast Cancer That is Metastatic or Cannot be Treated With Surgery

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed breast cancer
• * Metastatic or unresectable local disease
• Measurable or evaluable disease
• No ascites or pleural effusion as only metastatic site
• No brain or leptomeningeal metastases
• Hormone receptor status:
• * Not specified
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Sex:
• Female
• Menopausal status:
• Not specified
• Performance status:
• 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• At least 3 months
• Hematopoietic:
• Granulocyte count greater than 1,500/mm3
• Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin normal
• SGOT/SGPT less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Alkaline phosphatase less than 2.5 times ULN
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 2 times ULN
• Cardiovascular:
• Adequate cardiac function
• No history of significant atherosclerotic coronary disease (e.g., uncontrolled angina)
• No history of significant cardiac arrhythmia
• Other:
• No serious medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude study
• No active uncontrolled bacterial, viral, or fungal infection
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• No prior high-dose chemotherapy and autologous transplantation
• Chemotherapy:
• At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered
• No more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens for metastatic breast cancer (in addition to adjuvant therapy)
• No prior docetaxel
• No prior high-dose chemotherapy and autologous transplantation
• Prior paclitaxel allowed
• Endocrine therapy:
• No concurrent hormonal therapy, except as contraception
• Radiotherapy:
• At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• Concurrent radiotherapy for relief of localized pain or obstruction allowed
• Surgery:
• At least 2 weeks since prior major surgery and recovered
• Other:
• No other concurrent cytotoxic agents