Letrozole and Celecoxib in Treating Postmenopausal Women With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the breast
• * Locally advanced or metastatic disease
• Measurable disease
• * No bone disease only
• No history of brain metastases unless controlled with radiotherapy or surgical resection for ≥ 6 months before study entry
• Hormone receptor status:
• * Estrogen receptor- OR progesterone receptor-positive
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Sex
• Female
• Menopausal status
• Postmenopausal, as defined by 1 of the following:
• * Prior bilateral oophorectomy
• * Prior bilateral ovarian irradiation
• * No spontaneous menstrual bleeding within the past 12 months
• * Age 55 and over AND prior hysterectomy without oophorectomy
• * Age 54 and under AND prior hysterectomy without oophorectomy (or status of ovaries is unknown) AND documented follicle-stimulating hormone level in postmenopausal range
• Performance status
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy
• At least 3 months
• Hematopoietic
• Granulocyte count ≥ 1,000/mm\^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN
• Renal
• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• Other
• No prior allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to study drugs
• No prior allergic reaction to sulfonamides
• No active peptic ulcer disease
• No active infection
• No other medical condition that would preclude study participation
• Able to swallow oral medication
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy
• No prior chemotherapy for metastatic or recurrent disease
• Endocrine therapy
• No prior endocrine therapy for metastatic disease
• * Prior adjuvant tamoxifen allowed
• No prior aromatase inhibitors
• No prior hormonal therapy for recurrent disease
• No other concurrent hormonal therapy
• Radiotherapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• See Menopausal status
• No concurrent radiotherapy
• Surgery
• See Disease Characteristics
• See Menopausal status
• Other
• No concurrent fluconazole or lithium
• No concurrent aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or other cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors
• * Concurrent chronic cardioprotective low-dose aspirin allowed
• No other concurrent investigational agents