Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed breast cancer Stage II with greater than
3 positive axillary lymph nodes following standard induction chemotherapy, as well as
surgery and/or radiation as clinically indicated Stage III following standard induction
chemotherapy with an anthracycline based regimen, and surgery and/or radiation as
clinically indicated Inflammatory carcinoma following standard induction chemotherapy with
an anthracycline based regimen, and surgery and/or radiation as clinically indicated Stage
IV metastatic disease that has demonstrated a complete response to an anthracycline
containing regimen, or no evidence of disease after surgery or radiation Hormone receptor
status: Not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 64 and under Sex: Female Menopausal status: Not specified
Performance status: ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Not specified
Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL SGOT/SGPT no greater than 2.5 times upper
limit of normal No history of severe hepatic dysfunction Renal: Creatinine no greater than
2.0 mg/dL OR Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min Cardiovascular: No evidence of severe
cardiac dysfunction Ejection fraction at least 50% by MUGA No major heart disease
Essential hypertension controlled with medications allowed Pulmonary: DLCO at least 50% of
normal No symptomatic obstructive or restrictive pulmonary disease Other: Not pregnant or
nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception No
psychosocial disorder that would preclude study compliance No concurrent active infections
No insulin dependent diabetes mellitus No uncompensated major thyroid or adrenal
dysfunction No significant skin breakdown from tumor or other disease HIV negative

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: See Disease
Characteristics Prior total dose of doxorubicin or daunorubicin less than 450 mg/m2 unless
endometrial biopsy shows less than grade 2 drug effect Endocrine therapy: Not specified
Radiotherapy: See Disease Characteristics Surgery: See Disease Characteristics Other: No
concurrent nitroglycerin preparations for angina pectoris No concurrent antiarrhythmic
drugs for major ventricular dysrrhythmias