Combination Chemotherapy and Trastuzumab in Treating Women With Metastatic Breast Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed metastatic adenocarcinoma of the breast

• Strong overexpression of HER-2 by immunohistochemistry (3+)

  • 0-2+ tumors allowed if demonstrate amplification by FISH
• Bidimensionally measurable disease
• Brain metastasis must not represent sole site of disease
• No untreated brain metastasis receiving radiotherapy
• Previously treated brain metastases in continued response to radiotherapy and/or surgery for at least 2 months allowed

• Hormone receptor status:

  • Positive or negative

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Sex:

• Female

Menopausal status:

• Not specified

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

• At least 3 months

Hematopoietic:

• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• AST no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (5 times ULN if liver metastases present)

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN

Cardiovascular:

• No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• No congestive heart failure or unstable angina
• No clinically significant pericardial effusion or arrhythmia

Other:

• No other invasive malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No active uncontrolled infection
• No prior allergic reaction to Cremophor EL, anesthetics, or muscle relaxants
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• No concurrent filgrastim (G-CSF)

Chemotherapy:

• Prior adjuvant chemotherapy allowed
• Prior taxane therapy allowed
• No prior cisplatin or carboplatin
• No prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior radiotherapy to more than 25% of marrow
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior surgery and recovered

Other:

• At least 7 days since prior parenteral antibiotics