Herbal Therapy in Treating Women With Metastatic Breast Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed breast cancer (may include original primary cancer diagnosis)
• Measurable disease
• Metastatic involvement with minimal or no symptoms
• * Solitary metastases require histological confirmation
• No extensive liver involvement (more than 50% of liver parenchyma)
• No lymphangitic pulmonary involvement
• CNS involvement or spinal cord compression allowed if stabilized by therapy for more than 3 months
• Hormone receptor status:
• * Not specified
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Sex:
• Female
• Menopausal status:
• Not specified
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-1
• Life expectancy:
• More than 6 months
• Hematopoietic:
• WBC at least 2,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 75,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.7 mg/dL
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• Other:
• Not pregnant
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No history of multiple or severe food or medicine allergies
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• At least 1 week since prior biologic therapy
• No concurrent anticancer biologic therapy
• Chemotherapy:
• At least 1 week since prior chemotherapy
• No concurrent anticancer chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• At least 1 week since prior hormonal therapy
• No concurrent anticancer hormonal therapy
• Radiotherapy:
• Not specified
• Surgery:
• Not specified
• Other:
• Recovered from prior anticancer therapy
• At least 1 week since prior investigational agents
• At least 1 week since prior herbal medications
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• Concurrent pamidronate allowed
• Concurrent acupuncture or other nonherbal therapy allowed
• Concurrent nutritional vitamin supplementation (up to 5 times recommended daily allowance) allowed