Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed metastatic breast cancer Measurable or
evaluable disease Must be ineligible for other high priority national or institutional
study No visible metastases on brain CT or MRI (unless single lesion amenable to surgical
resection) Hormone receptor status: Not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Over 18 Sex: Female Menopausal status: Not specified
Performance status: ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy: More than 2 months Hematopoietic: WBC
greater than 3,000/mm3 Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3 No prior clotting disorder
unless therapeutically anticoagulated Hepatic: Bilirubin less than the upper limit of
normal SGOT or SGPT less than 1.5 times normal Renal: BUN less than 1.5 times normal
Creatinine less than 1.5 times normal Cardiovascular: No prior thromboembolism unless
therapeutically anticoagulated Other: No symptomatic ascites, pleural effusion or
peripheral edema No serious medical or psychiatric illness No prior malignancy other than
curatively treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix or skin cancer

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: At least 4 weeks
since prior chemotherapy (2 weeks if weekly regimen) Any number of prior chemotherapy
regimens allowed Endocrine therapy: Any number of prior hormonal therapy regimens allowed
Radiotherapy: At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy Surgery: At least 1 week since
prior surgery