High-Dose Combination Chemotherapy Followed by Peripheral Stem Cell Transplantation in Treating Patients With Poor-Prognosis Breast Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed invasive (stage II-IV) carcinoma of the breast 8 or more positive axillary nodes required for stage II disease Chemotherapy-responsive disease required of patients with measurable or evaluable disease Partial or complete response to 3 courses of standard cyclophosphamide/doxorubicin/fluorouracil (CAF) or, for patients who have had CAF, cyclophosphamide/methotrexate/fluorouracil (CMF) 3-month course of standard mitomycin/vinblastine or paclitaxel acceptable in patients clearly resistant to CAF or CMF Visceral response despite progression in bone will be considered on an individual basis Patients with no evidence of disease may be entered without evidence of a chemotherapy response Resectable disease must be surgically removed prior to transplantation Hormone receptor status: If estrogen-receptor positive, prior failure with at least 1 hormonal manipulation required unless patient is premenopausal or has rapidly progressing visceral disease No more than 20% of marrow involved with tumor

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 15 to 60 Sex: Women only Menopausal status: Not specified Performance status: Karnofsky 80%-100% Hematopoietic: WBC at least 4,000/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin less than 2.0 mg/dL AST less than 2 times normal Albumin at least 3.0 g/dL Renal: Creatinine less than 1.8 mg/dL BUN less than 20 mg/dL Cardiovascular: Left ventricular ejection fraction at least 55% Pulmonary: DLCO, FEV1, and FVC at least 50% of predicted pO2 at least 70 mm Hg on room air Other: No serious psychiatric, neurologic, or medical illness that would compromise the safety of a bone marrow transplant Effective contraception required of fertile women

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics Endocrine therapy: See Disease Characteristics Radiotherapy: No prior chest irradiation other than to locally involved lymph nodes Surgery: See Disease Characteristics