DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the breast

  • Recurrent or metastatic (stage IV) disease
  • Incurable disease
• Measurable or evaluable disease
• Stable brain metastases allowed

• 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 3 months

Hematopoietic

• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL

Hepatic

• Bilirubin normal
• AST/ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal

Renal

• Creatinine normal OR
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
• No clinically significant proteinuria
• No impaired renal function

Cardiovascular

• No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• No unstable angina
• No cardiac arrhythmia
• No inadequately controlled hypertension

Gastrointestinal

• No disorder that would alter gastrointestinal motility or absorption
• No dysphagia
• Able to swallow tablets or capsules

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

• No hypersensitivity to celecoxib

  • No prior urticaria, asthma, or other allergic-type reaction after taking aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• No allergy to sulfa
• No other concurrent uncontrolled illness
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
• No ongoing or active infection

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• At least 3 weeks since prior trastuzumab (Herceptin®) and recovered
• No concurrent hematopoietic growth factors

Chemotherapy

• At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered
• Prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy allowed
• Prior chemotherapy for recurrent or metastatic disease allowed
• No prior vinorelbine

Endocrine therapy

• At least 2 weeks since prior hormonal therapy
• Prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant hormonal therapy allowed
• Prior hormonal therapy for recurrent or metastatic disease allowed

Radiotherapy

• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy for metastatic disease
• Prior adjuvant radiotherapy allowed

Surgery

• Not specified

Other

• At least 3 weeks since prior investigational anticancer agents and recovered
• At least 1 week since prior cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors, except celecoxib

• No concurrent administration of any of the following drugs:

  • Lithium
  • Fluconazole
  • Aluminum antacids
  • Magnesium antacids
• Concurrent H_2 blocking agents or proton pump inhibitors allowed for the treatment of dyspepsia or gastroesophageal reflux disease
• Concurrent bisphosphonates allowed