Monoclonal Antibody Therapy and Docetaxel in Treating Women With Metastatic or Recurrent Breast Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed metastatic or recurrent breast carcinoma
• * Unresectable disease
• * Previously treated with no more than 2 chemotherapy regimens for metastatic disease OR
• * Recurrent within 6 months of adjuvant chemotherapy
• Must have one of the following:
• * Measurable disease
• * Positive bone scan and elevation of serum tumor marker for adenocarcinoma
• * Serum levels must have increased over 2 consecutive measurements and exceed at least 2 times upper limit of normal
• Lewis-y antigen expression documented by immunohistochemistry
• No brain metastases that are uncontrolled or require active treatment (including steroids)
• Hormone receptor status:
• * Not specified
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Sex:
• Female
• Menopausal status:
• Not specified
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• At least 3 months
• Hematopoietic:
• Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• No bleeding diathesis
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• SGOT no greater than 2.5 times normal
• Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times normal (unless documented bony metastasis present)
• Amylase/lipase less than 1.5 times normal
• Hepatitis B and C negative
• No hepatic failure
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal
• No renal failure
• Cardiovascular:
• LVEF greater than 50% by echocardiogram or MUGA scan
• No congestive heart failure
• Other:
• HIV negative
• No antibody present that detects monoclonal antibody BR96 in serum
• No peripheral neuropathy grade 2 or greater
• No dementia or altered mental status
• No other serious underlying medical condition that would preclude study participation
• No prior allergic reactions to recombinant human or murine proteins
• No uncontrolled peptic ulcer disease
• No active viral, bacterial, or systemic fungal infections
• No other primary malignancy except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No serious nonmalignant disease
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• At least 8 weeks since prior therapeutic or diagnostic murine/humanized/human chimeric antibodies
• Chemotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas, carboplatin, mitomycin, or anthracyclines)
• No prior cumulative anthracycline of 300 mg/m2 or more
• No concurrent antineoplastic agents
• Endocrine therapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior hormonal therapy
• No concurrent hormonal therapy except estrogen replacement
• Radiotherapy:
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Other:
• No other concurrent experimental agents
• No concurrent immunosuppressive medications