Vaccine Therapy Plus Sargramostim and Chemotherapy in Treating Women With Stage II or Stage III Breast Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the breast
• * Stage II or III
• * At least 4 positive lymph nodes
• * No inflammatory ductal carcinoma
• No positive lymph nodes by immunohistochemistry only
• Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) expression, as indicated by 1 of the following:
• * At least 30% of tumor stains for CEA on immunohistochemistry
• * Elevated serum CEA (greater than 5 ng/mL) anytime during disease course
• Must be HLA-A2 positive
• Must have received prior vaccinia for smallpox immunization with 1 of the following as evidence:
• * If age 25 and under, physician certification of prior vaccination
• * If over age 25, patient recollection and vaccination-site scar
• * Any age, detectable anti-vaccinia antibodies
• No metastases by CT scan of chest, abdomen, and pelvis and a bone scan
• Hormone receptor status:
• * Estrogen receptor status and progesterone receptor status known
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Sex
• Female
• Menopausal status:
• Not specified
• Performance status
• ECOG 0-1
• Life expectancy
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic
• WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• SGOT and SGPT no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• Hepatitis B and C negative
• Renal
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min
• No proteinuria OR
• Protein less than 1,000 mg per 24-hour urine collection
• No hematuria
• No abnormal sediment
• Cardiovascular
• LVEF at least 45% by echocardiogram or MUGA if either of the following are true:
• * History of cardiac disease
• * Received prior cardiotoxic chemotherapy
• Immunologic
• No evidence of immunocompromised status
• No autoimmune disease such as any of the following:
• * Autoimmune neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, or hemolytic anemia
• * Systemic lupus erythematosus
• * Sjogren's syndrome
• * Scleroderma
• * Myasthenia gravis
• * Goodpasture syndrome
• * Addison's disease
• * Hashimoto's thyroiditis
• * Active Graves' disease
• No active or prior eczema or other eczematoid skin disorders
• No other acute, chronic, or exfoliative skin conditions (e.g., atopic dermatitis, burns, impetigo, varicella zoster, severe acne, or other open rashes or wounds)
• HIV negative
• No active infection within the past 3 days
• No allergy to eggs
• No history of allergy or untoward reaction to prior vaccination with vaccinia virus
• Other
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No other serious illness
• No other malignancy within the past 3 years except squamous cell or basal cell skin cancer
• No history of seizures, encephalitis, or multiple sclerosis
• No active inflammatory bowel disease
• Must be able to avoid close household contact with the following during and for 2 weeks after vaccinations:
• * Persons with active or prior eczema or other eczematoid skin disorders
• * Persons with any other acute, chronic, or exfoliative skin conditions (e.g., atopic dermatitis, burns, impetigo, varicella zoster, severe acne, or other open rashes or wounds)
• * Pregnant or nursing women
• * Children under 5 years old
• * Immunodeficient or immunosuppressed persons (by disease or therapy), including those with HIV infection
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• Chemotherapy
• No prior doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, or paclitaxel
• Endocrine therapy
• No concurrent steroids except the following:
• * Topical steroids
• * Inhaled steroids for moderate asthma
• * Dexamethasone prior to taxanes
• Radiotherapy
• No prior radiotherapy to more than 50% of the lymph nodes
• Surgery
• At least 2 weeks since prior surgery and recovered
• No prior splenectomy
• Other
• No other concurrent anti-tumor therapies