Docetaxel and Imatinib Mesylate in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the breast

  * Stage IIIB, IIIC, or IV disease
* Measurable or evaluable disease
* Stable brain metastases allowed provided prior surgery or radiotherapy was completed more than 90 days ago
* No documented or suspected leptomeningeal disease
* Hormone receptor status:

  * Not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

* 18 and over

Sex

* Male or female

Menopausal status

* Not specified

Performance status

* ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy

* Not specified

Hematopoietic

* Granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3

Hepatic

* Bilirubin ≤ upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Meets 1 of the following criteria for AST or ALT AND alkaline phosphatase:

  * AST or ALT ≤ ULN AND alkaline phosphatase ≤ 5 times ULN
  * AST or ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN AND alkaline phosphatase ≤ ULN
  * AST or ALT ≤ 1.5 times ULN AND alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
* No known acute or chronic liver disease (e.g., chronic active hepatitis or cirrhosis)

Renal

* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL

Cardiovascular

* No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
* No congestive heart failure
* No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months

Other

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 3 months after study participation
* No other primary malignancy except those malignancies that are clinically insignificant AND do not require active intervention
* No other concurrent severe and/or life-threatening medical disease
* No significant history of noncompliance to medical regimens or inability to grant reliable informed consent

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* At least 14 days since prior systemic trastuzumab (Herceptin®)
* No concurrent trastuzumab
* No concurrent biologic therapy for the primary malignancy

Chemotherapy

* Prior taxane therapy, including docetaxel, in the adjuvant or metastatic setting allowed
* At least 21 days since prior systemic chemotherapy (14 days for weekly or oral chemotherapy and 42 days for nitrosoureas or mitomycin)
* No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

* At least 14 days since prior systemic hormonal therapy
* No concurrent antiestrogen therapy
* No concurrent routine systemic corticosteroid therapy except as premedication for chemotherapy
* Concurrent megestrol allowed only as an appetite stimulant

Radiotherapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 14 days since prior radiotherapy
* No prior radiotherapy to only site of measurable/evaluable disease unless there is new evidence of post-radiotherapy disease progression
* No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery

* See Disease Characteristics
* More than 2 weeks since prior major surgery

Other

* Recovered from all prior therapy
* At least 14 days since prior daily or weekly systemic investigational treatment
* No concurrent warfarin for full anticoagulation

  * Concurrent low-dose warfarin (e.g., 1 mg/day) allowed for prophylaxis of central venous access
* No concurrent treatment with any of the following:

  * Phenobarbital
  * Phenytoin
  * Carbamazepine
  * Barbiturates
  * Rifampin
  * Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort)
* No other concurrent therapies for the primary malignancy
* No other concurrent investigational drugs or systemic therapy
* No concurrent bisphosphonates unless started before study therapy
* No concurrent grapefruit juice