Monoclonal Antibody Therapy in Treating Women With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer Previously Treated With Combination Chemotherapy

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed breast cancer

  * Locally advanced or metastatic disease
  * No inflammatory breast cancer
* Polymorphic epithelial mucin (PEM) antigen overexpression by immunohistochemistry
* Previously treated with an anthracycline and a taxane in any combination for breast cancer

  * No more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens, including adjuvant /neoadjuvant therapy
  * No more than 1 prior regimen for distant metastatic disease
  * Any number of prior hormonal or biologic therapy regimens allowed
* Measurable disease

  * At least one unidimensionally measurable lesion not previously irradiated
  * The following are not considered measurable lesions:

    * Bone
    * Leptomeningeal disease
    * Ascites
    * Pleural/pericardial effusion
    * Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis
    * Abdominal masses not confirmed and followed by imaging techniques
    * Cystic lesions
* No metastases accessible to complete surgical resection
* No CNS metastasis by CT scan
* Hormone receptor status:

  * Not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

* 18 and over

Sex

* Female

Menopausal status

* Not specified

Performance status

* WHO 0-2

Life expectancy

* At least 4 months

Hematopoietic

* Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL
* Neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3

Hepatic

* Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
* ALT and AST no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (less than 5 times ULN if liver metastases are present)

Renal

* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN OR
* Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min
* No hyperuricemia (uric acid at least 1.25 times ULN)
* No hypercalcemia (calcium at least 11.5 mg/dL \[corrected for serum albumin\])

Cardiovascular

* LVEF at least 45% by MUGA or echocardiogram within the past 4 weeks

Other

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3-6 months after study participation
* No other prior malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated nonmelanoma skin cancer or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
* No other concurrent uncontrolled comorbid illness that represents unacceptable risk in the opinion of the investigator
* No legal incapacity

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* More than 2 weeks since prior growth factors to aid hematologic recovery
* No other concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* More than 4 weeks since prior cytotoxic chemotherapy
* No concurrent chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer

Endocrine therapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* No concurrent endocrine therapy for metastatic breast cancer
* No concurrent chronic corticosteroid therapy
* No concurrent high-dose corticosteroids

Radiotherapy

* More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy except for palliation
* No concurrent antitumor radiotherapy except for palliation

Surgery

* More than 4 weeks since prior major surgery

Other

* More than 2 weeks since prior blood transfusions to aid hematologic recovery
* No participation in any other investigational drug study
* No other concurrent investigational drugs
* No other concurrent antitumor therapy