DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the breast

  • Metastatic disease
• HER2/neu-positive (3+) disease by immunohistochemistry or fluorescent in situ hybridization

• At least 1 objectively measurable disease parameter

  • No brain metastases as the only site of measurable disease
  • Previously irradiated tumors are not considered measurable disease, except for recurrent disease located in an area of prior adjuvant irradiation (e.g., axilla or chest wall)

• No untreated brain metastases

  • Previously treated brain metastases that have responded to prior radiotherapy and/or surgery are allowed

• 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
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic

• AST and ALT ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (2.0 times ULN for patients with liver involvement by tumor)

Renal

• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL

Cardiovascular

• LVEF within lower limit of normal by MUGA or echocardiogram
• No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective nonhormonal contraception
• No prior severe (grade 3 or 4) hypersensitivity reaction to drugs formulated in polyoxyethylated castor oil (Cremophor EL)
• No peripheral neuropathy
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• No prior trastuzumab (Herceptin®) for metastatic disease
• No concurrent pegfilgrastim

Chemotherapy

• No prior ixabepilone for metastatic disease
• No prior carboplatin for metastatic disease
• No other prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease
• No prior cumulative doxorubicin dose > 360 mg/m^2
• No prior cumulative epirubicin dose > 640 mg/m^2

Endocrine therapy

• Prior hormonal therapy for metastatic disease allowed
• At least 1 week since prior hormonal therapy
• No concurrent hormonal therapy

Radiotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• No concurrent radiotherapy, including radiotherapy for brain metastases

Surgery

• See Disease Characteristics