Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed invasive ductal or lobular adenocarcinoma of the breast

- Metastatic disease as confirmed by ≥ 1 of the following:

- Histology or cytology

- Radiology

- Elevated CA 15-3 levels

- No HER2/neu overexpression by IHC or FISH

- Measurable (≥ 10 mm) or evaluable disease

- Bone lesions or isolated pleural effusion allowed

- Hormone receptor status not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

- Postmenopausal

- Life expectancy > 3 months

- ANC ≥ 1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

- Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL

- AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (5 times ULN if liver metastases
are present)

- Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 5 times ULN

- Bilirubin ≤ 2 times ULN

- Creatinine clearance ≥ 30 mL/min

- LVEF ≥ 50%

- No congestive heart failure or other uncontrolled cardiac disease

- No other malignancy within the past 5 years except for curatively treated carcinoma
in situ of the cervix, urothelial in situ carcinoma, or basal cell cancer

- No prior hypersensitivity to anthracyclines

- No psychological, familial, social, or geographical reason that would preclude study
follow-up

- No serious illness or physical or mental condition resulting in a permanent
disability that may preclude successful treatment

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- No prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease

- Prior adjuvant chemotherapy allowed

- No development of metastatic disease within 6 months after completion of
adjuvant anthracycline-based chemotherapy

- No more than 300 mg/m² of prior doxorubicin hydrochloride or 600 mg/m² of prior
epirubicin hydrochloride in the adjuvant setting

- More than 30 days since prior participation in another clinical trial