Vaccine Therapy and QS21 in Treating Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed stage IV breast cancer meeting 1 of the following criteria:

No evidence of disease

Stable disease on hormonal therapy

Stable disease must be present for ≥ 2 months and include < 30% decrease or < 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesion
No new target lesions or unequivocal progression of non-target lesions
Elevation in the CA 153 (BR2729) or CEA values allowed
Hormone receptor status not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Female or male
Menopausal status not specified
Karnofsky performance status 80-100%
Lymphocyte count ≥ 500/mm³
WBC ≥ 3,000/mm³
Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
AST ≤ 1.5 times ULN
Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 1.5 times ULN
Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception
No history of allergy to seafood
No NYHA class III-IV cardiac disease
No other active cancers except basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin
No active infection requiring antibiotic treatment
No known history of immunodeficiency or autoimmune disease

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

See Disease Characteristics
At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy
At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
At least 4 weeks since prior surgery
At least 6 weeks since prior immunotherapy
No prior sialyl Lewisª antigen
No concurrent immunosuppressive medications (i.e., corticosteroids)
Concurrent hormonal therapy allowed