DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed stage III or IV adenocarcinoma of the breast

• Phase I:

  • Evaluable disease allowed

• Phase II:

  • At least 1 site of measurable disease
• No bone metastasis as only site of disease
• No carcinomatous meningitis or brain metastases

• Hormone receptor status:

  • Not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Sex:

• Male or female

Menopausal status:

• Not specified

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3
• No active coagulopathy requiring therapeutic anticoagulation

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than upper limit of normal (ULN)
• SGOT no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• No Gilbert's disease

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

• Left ventricular ejection fraction at least 50% without clinical signs or symptoms of heart failure
• No uncontrolled hypertension (sustained systolic blood pressure (BP) greater than 180 mm Hg or diastolic BP greater than 100 mm Hg)
• No uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia
• No myocardial infarction within the past year
• No significant ischemia or valvular heart disease

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No medical or psychiatric condition that would increase risk
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or nonmelanomatous skin cancer
• No grade 2 or greater peripheral neuropathy
• No diabetes mellitus with a fasting blood sugar greater than 200 mg/dL
• No active unresolved infection
• No serious concurrent medical illness
• No history of hypersensitivity reaction to products containing polysorbate 80 (Tween 80)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• No prior flavopiridol
• Prior adjuvant chemotherapy for advanced disease allowed if within 6 months of diagnosis of metastatic disease
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosourea or 8 weeks for UCN-01) and recovered

• Phase I:

  • Any number of prior chemotherapy regimens for metastatic carcinoma of the breast allowed

• Phase II:

  • No more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens for metastatic carcinoma of the breast

Endocrine therapy:

• Prior hormonal therapy in the metastatic or adjuvant setting allowed
• At least 2 weeks since prior hormonal therapy and no evidence of disease improvement by radiography after therapy
• Concurrent corticosteroids allowed if for study premedication or hypersensitivity reactions/adverse events

Radiotherapy:

• No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

• Not specified

Other:

• No other concurrent antineoplastic therapies
• No other concurrent investigational drugs