Combination Chemotherapy With or Without Trastuzumab in Treating Women With Metastatic Breast Cancer

Inclusion Criteria:

Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the breast with manifestations of metastatic progression
HER2 expression status in primary breast tissue and/or site(s) of metastasis must be determined by the ECOG Pathology Coordinating Office; (these are the results that will be used at time of registration); NOTE: for this protocol, HER2/neu non-overexpressed status will be defined as 0 and 1+ scores using the DAKO HercepTest; HER2 overexpressed status will be defined as 2+ score (if confirmed amplified by FISH) or 3+ score using the DAKO HercepTest
Cytologically positive pleural or peritoneal effusions are considered evaluable disease provided local intra-cavitary treatment is not introduced at the onset of therapy; to be considered as evaluable disease, pleural effusions may not have been previously drained or sclerosed
Blastic or mixed blastic/lytic osseous metastases only are evaluable disease provided they are accompanied by an analgesic requirement or a decrease in performance status, and will not require radiation treatment within two cycles from the start of protocol; pure osteolytic disease is evaluable; bone disease must be x-ray proven for the site to be evaluable; patients whose only evidence of metastatic disease is an abnormal bone scan without confirmatory x-rays are not eligible for this study
No prior chemotherapy for advanced disease; prior adjuvant chemotherapy (including taxanes) allowed, if completed > 6 months before the diagnosis of metastatic disease; no prior adjuvant anthracycline, nor any prior exposure to other anthracycline- (e.g., epirubicin, any liposomal doxorubicin formulation), nor any anthracenedione- (e.g., mitoxantrone) containing regimen allowed; no prior therapy with Herceptin allowed; NOTE: chemotherapy after ipsilateral breast recurrence following breast conservation surgery would not be considered chemotherapy for advanced disease; however, in post-mastectomy patients chemotherapy for local/regional recurrence is considered treatment for advanced disease
No prior radiotherapy other than to the conserved breast, to the post-mastectomy chest wall, or to a limited field involving < 25% of marrow-containing bone; NOTE: previous post-mastectomy radiation therapy involving chest wall ± internal mammary lymph node chain (IMN) is allowed; however, patients who received photon IMN treatment are ineligible; NOTE: radiotherapy must be completed >= 2 weeks prior to registration; it may not be given concurrently with Doxil, Taxotere, or Herceptin
Prior hormonal therapy in either a metastatic or adjuvant setting is allowed, but patients must have been off such therapy for >= 2 weeks prior to registration
Disease-free of prior non-breast invasive malignancies for >= 5 years with the exception of curatively-treated basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
ECOG performance status of 0, 1, or 2
At least two weeks after any major surgery (including mastectomy) and recovered from all toxicity
Creatinine =< 1.5 mg/dl
Granulocytes >= 1,500/mm³
Platelets >= 100,000/mm³
SGOT(AST) =< 2.5 x the upper limit of normal
Bilirubin within normal limits for institution
No history of deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary thromboembolism, or other thromboembolic condition
Women must not be pregnant or breastfeeding; the effect of Herceptin to the fetus is unknown; Doxil is known to be harmful to the fetus
Women of childbearing potential must be advised to use an accepted and effective method of contraception
No patients with untreated brain metastasis or brain metastasis undergoing radiation or for whom brain metastasis represent the sole site of disease; patients with previously treated brain metastasis who have responded to brain radiotherapy and/or surgery and continue in response are eligible, provided the brain is not the only site of disease
The left ventricular ejection fraction must be at or above the lower institutional limits of normal (as assessed by MUGA scan or echocardiogram obtained within six weeks prior to registration); patient will not be eligible if baseline LVEF assessment not performed
No prior history of myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, or arrhythmia requiring medication; no history of hypertension or systolic or diastolic dysfunction; no EKG evidence of ventricular hypertrophy, conduction abnormality, or serious arrhythmia; patient will not be eligible if baseline EKG assessment not performed within 4 weeks