Chemotherapeutic Agents in Brain/Breast

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically or cytologically confirmed breast carcinoma with ≥ 1 suspected or known parenchymal brain metastases for which surgical resection or biopsy is clinically indicated

Treating oncologist must agree that the patient would derive clinical benefit from receiving ≥ 1 of the following study agents:

Capecitabine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin hydrochloride, gemcitabine hydrochloride, lapatinib ditosylate, paclitaxel, trastuzumab (Herceptin®), or vinorelbine ditartrate
Hormone receptor status not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Menopausal status not specified
Karnofsky performance status 50-100%
Life expectancy ≥ 3 months
Absolute granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm³
Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL
Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
Bilirubin (total) ≤ 1.5 times ULN
AST ≤ 3 times ULN
Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for three months after completion of study treatment
No severe NYHA class III-IV cardiac insufficiency with uncontrolled and/or unstable cardiac or coronary artery disease
No history of noncompliance to medical regimens or inability or unwillingness to return for all scheduled visits

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

No toxicity > grade 2 from prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy remains at the time of study entry
At least 60 days since prior bevacizumab
At least 4 weeks since prior cranial radiotherapy
At least 3 weeks since prior cytotoxic chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C)
At least 2 weeks since prior non-cytotoxic drugs (e.g., small molecule-targeted drugs)
No concurrent experimental therapies
Concurrent hormone therapy and/or trastuzumab (Herceptin®) allowed