DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed advanced or metastatic breast cancer

• Bidimensionally measurable disease

  • At least one lesion at least 2 cm in one dimension by CT scan or MRI

• Must have failed prior anthracycline/taxane based chemotherapy as defined by one of the following:

  • Stage IV disease treated with anthracycline/taxane combination as first line therapy for advanced or metastatic disease
  • Stage IV disease treated with first line anthracycline therapy and second line taxane therapy for advanced or metastatic disease
  • Any adjuvant treatment other than anthracycline based therapy followed by anthracycline/taxane combination as first line therapy for advanced or metastatic disease
  • Any adjuvant therapy other than anthracycline based therapy followed by first line anthracycline based therapy and second line taxane based therapy for advanced or metastatic disease
  • Adjuvant anthracycline based therapy followed by relapse after 6 months treated with anthracycline/taxane combination as first line therapy or first line anthracycline based therapy and second line taxane based therapy for advanced or metastatic disease
  • Adjuvant anthracycline based therapy followed by relapse within 6 months treated with first line taxane based therapy for advanced or metastatic disease
• Disease progression within 6 months of last taxane based chemotherapy
• No brain metastases

• Hormonal receptor status:

  • Not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Sex:

• Female

Menopausal status:

• Not specified

Performance status:

• WHO 0-2

Life expectancy:

• At least 3 months

Hematopoietic:

• Absolute neutrophil count greater than 2,000/mm^3
• Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Alkaline phosphatase and transaminases no greater than 2.5 times ULN (no greater than 5 times ULN in case of liver metastases)

Renal:

• Creatinine less than 1.25 times ULN

Cardiovascular:

• LVEF at least 50% if prior total dose of doxorubicin 550 mg/m2 or greater, epirubicin 900 mg/m2 or greater, or pirarubicin 700 mg/m2 or greater
• No prior or active congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, or angina
• No uncontrolled hypertension or arrhythmia

Other:

• No unstable systemic disease
• No active infection
• No grade 2 or greater peripheral neuropathy
• No psychological, familial, sociological, or geographical condition that would preclude study

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• No prior high dose chemotherapy with hematopoietic rescue
• No concurrent immunotherapy
• No concurrent filgrastim (G-CSF) or sargramostim (GM-CSF) for prevention of neutropenia

Chemotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy
• At least 1 prior taxane based chemotherapy for advanced or metastatic disease
• No prior high dose chemotherapy with hematopoietic rescue
• No prior platinum based chemotherapy
• No prior taxane chemotherapy other than docetaxel or paclitaxel
• No prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy with taxane/anthracycline based combination chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• No concurrent steroids except in case of allergy prevention, emesis prophylaxis, or long term treatment for more than 3 months prior to study
• No concurrent hormonal anticancer therapy

Radiotherapy:

• No prior radiotherapy to study site unless evidence of disease progression
• Concurrent local radiotherapy allowed for pain relief

Surgery:

• At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery

Other:

• At least 4 weeks since prior anticancer and/or investigational drug
• No concurrent bisphosphonates unless started at least 2 months prior to study
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy
• No other concurrent experimental drugs