Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically proven progressive or recurrent metastatic breast cancer

- Bidimensionally measurable disease with at least one target lesion

- If previously irradiated lesions:

- No preirradiated only lesions

- Clear progression prior to study

- New lesions in a previously irradiated region allowed

- Refusal of or medical contraindication to standard anthracycline containing regimen

- Hormone receptor status:

- Not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- Any age

Sex:

- Female

Menopausal status:

- Not specified

Performance status:

- ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

- Not specified

Hematopoietic:

- Neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin normal

- Transaminases less than 2 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

- Creatinine normal

Cardiovascular:

- Left ventricular ejection fraction normal by echocardiography or MUGA scan

- No significant cardiac history including:

- Clinically significant atrial or ventricular arrhythmias requiring treatment

- Medically controlled congestive heart failure

- Significant angina or clinically and/or electrocardiographically documented
myocardial infarction within the past year

- Clinically significant valvular disease

Other:

- No other prior or concurrent malignancy within the past 5 years except contralateral
breast cancer, or adequately treated basal cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of
the cervix

- No psychological, familial, sociological, or geographical condition that would
preclude study

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- Not specified

Chemotherapy:

- See Disease Characteristics

- Prior adjuvant chemotherapy allowed if total doxorubicin dose is no greater than 300
mg/m2, total epirubicin dose is no greater than 450 mg/m^2, and total mitoxantrone
dose is no greater than 75 mg/m^2

- No greater than one regimen of prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease

- No prior anthracyclines for metastatic disease

- No other concurrent cytotoxic therapy

Endocrine therapy:

- No concurrent hormonal therapy

- At least 4 weeks since prior progestins, estrogens, or androgens

Radiotherapy:

- See Disease Characteristics

- Concurrent palliative radiotherapy allowed if sole target lesion is outside
irradiated field

Surgery:

- Not specified

Other:

- Concurrent bisphosphonates for metastatic bone disease and hypercalcemia secondary to
malignancy allowed if bony lesions not only target lesion

- No other concurrent investigational therapy