DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the breast, meeting ≥ 1 of the following criteria:

  • Stage IV disease
  • Locally recurrent inoperable chest wall disease

• At least 1 unidimensionally or bidimesionally measurable indicator lesion

  • Nonmeasurable disease allowed (phase I only)
• Received 0-2 prior chemotherapy regimens for metastatic disease (eligible as of 09/15/2009)
• (As of 09/15/2009) Tumor accessible to biopsy and patient agrees to paired biopsies before and after vorinostat therapy
• No CNS metastases by CT scan or MRI
• Hormone receptor status not specified

• (As of 09/15/2009) Meets 1 of the following criteria:

  • Estrogen receptor (ER)-negative, progesterone receptor (PR)-negative, and HER2-negative (triple negative) disease
  • ER- and/or PR-positive disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Female or male
• Menopausal status not specified
• ECOG performance status (PS) 0-1 or Karnofsky PS 70-100%
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
• Bilirubin normal
• AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• PTT < 1.5 times normal
• INR or PT < 1.5 times normal (unless patient is on full-dose anticoagulants)
• Creatinine normal OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
• Urine:protein creatinine ratio ≤ 0.5 OR urine protein < 1,000 mg by 24-hour urine collection
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 6 months after completion of study therapy
• Must be able to take oral medications on a continuous basis
• No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to study drugs
• No ongoing or active infection
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would limit study compliance
• No serious or nonhealing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture
• No abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, or intra-abdominal abscess within the past 4 weeks
• No significant traumatic injury within the past 4 weeks

• No clinically significant cardiovascular disease, including any of the following:

  • Cerebrovascular accident within the past 6 months
  • Unstable angina pectoris
  • Uncontrolled hypertension
  • Myocardial infarction or unstable angina within the past 6 months
  • New York Heart Association class II-IV congestive heart failure
  • Serious cardiac arrhythmia requiring medication
  • Symptomatic congestive heart failure
  • Clinically significant peripheral vascular disease
• No bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy
• No known hypersensitivity to Chinese hamster ovary cell products or other recombinant human antibodies
• No other uncontrolled illness

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics

• At least 1 week since prior hormonal therapy

  • Any number of prior hormonal therapies allowed
• At least 1 week since prior core biopsy

• At least 10 days since prior acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin > 325 mg/day) or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs known to inhibit platelet function, including any of the following:

  • Dipyridamole
  • Ticlopidine
  • Clopidogrel
  • Cilostazol
• At least 4 weeks since prior major surgical procedure or open biopsy
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C) or radiotherapy and recovered
• At least 4 weeks since prior trastuzumab (Herceptin®)

• No prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease

  • Patients previously treated with a taxane (e.g., docetaxel or paclitaxel) are eligible provided both of the following are true:

    • Received taxane as a component of adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant therapy
    • Relapsed ≥ 12 months after completion of taxane-based therapy

• (As of 09/15/2009) Patients previously treated with a taxane (e.g., docetaxel or paclitaxel) are eligible provided:

  • Received taxanes as a component of adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant therapy or for metastatic disease
  • Have not experienced progressive disease during or within 3 months of completing taxane therapy

• No prior histone deacetylase inhibitors (e.g., valproic acid, PXD101, FR901228, MS-275, or LAQ-824)

  • Patients who have received such agents for other indications (e.g., epilepsy) may enroll in this trial after a 30-day washout period
• No prior bevacizumab
• No prior gastrointestinal surgery or other procedures that may interfere with absorption or swallowing of study drug
• No other prior invasive procedures
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No other concurrent anticancer agents or therapies
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No concurrent major surgical procedures

• Concurrent full-dose anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin) with PT INR > 1.5 allowed provided both of the following criteria are met:

  • In-range INR (usually between 2 and 3) on a stable dose of oral anticoagulant or on a stable dose of low molecular weight heparin
  • No active bleeding or pathological condition that carries a high risk of bleeding (e.g., tumor involving major vessels or known varices)