DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed stage IV breast cancer

  • Patients without pathologic or cytologic confirmation of metastatic disease must have unequivocal evidence of metastasis by physical exam or radiologic study

• Must meet 1 of the following criteria:

  • Received 1 or 2 prior conventional chemotherapy regimens for metastatic disease
  • Relapsed within 1 year after adjuvant chemotherapy and no prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease

• At least 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion, meeting 1 of the following criteria:

  • At least 20 mm by conventional techniques
  • At least 10 mm by spiral CT scan
• No CNS metastases by CT scan or MRI within the past 6 weeks
• No prior or concurrent primary CNS tumor on physical exam
• Disease progression after bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation allowed
• HER2-positive tumors allowed if previously treated with trastuzumab (Herceptin)

• Hormone receptor status:

  • Not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Sex:

• Male or female

Menopausal status:

• Not specified

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2 OR
• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

• More than 3 months

Hematopoietic:

• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3
• Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3
• No prior bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST/ALT no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• INR no greater than 1.5

Renal:

• Creatinine less than 2 mg/dL
• Urine protein no greater than +1 by dipstick OR
• Urine protein less than 500 mg by 24-hour urine collection

Cardiovascular:

• LVEF at least 50%
• No prior stroke
• No New York Heart Association class II-IV congestive heart failure
• No serious cardiac arrhythmia requiring medication, including atrial fibrillation requiring systemic anticoagulation
• No grade II or greater peripheral vascular disease within the past year
• No clinically significant peripheral artery disease
• No deep vein thrombosis or embolism within the past 5 years

• No arterial thromboembolic event within the past 6 months, including any of the following:

  • Transient ischemic attack
  • Cerebrovascular accident
  • Unstable angina
  • Myocardial infarction
• No other significant cardiovascular disease

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No evidence of seizures not controlled with standard medical therapy
• No prior allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to bevacizumab or other agents used in the study
• Prior mild infusion reaction to trastuzumab allowed
• No serious nonhealing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture
• No significant traumatic injury within the past 4 weeks
• No other concurrent illness (such as active infection) that would require active treatment or preclude study
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior bevacizumab
• No other prior experimental angiogenesis inhibitors
• At least 2 weeks since prior trastuzumab and recovered
• Concurrent epoetin alfa or filgrastim (G-CSF) allowed

Chemotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 2 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered
• No prior vinorelbine
• No more than 2 prior conventional chemotherapy regimens for metastatic breast cancer

Endocrine therapy:

• Prior hormonal therapy allowed

Radiotherapy:

• At least 1 week since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

• At least 4 weeks since prior major surgical procedure or open biopsy
• At least 1 week since prior fine-needle aspiration except in the breast
• No concurrent major surgical procedure

Other:

• Recovered from the toxic effects of any prior therapy
• At least 10 days since prior oral or parenteral anticoagulants (e.g., heparin or warfarin) except to maintain the patency of permanent, indwelling central venous catheter
• At least 10 days since prior thrombolytic agents
• No chronic aspirin therapy greater than 325 mg per day or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications that inhibit platelet function
• No concurrent COX-2 inhibitors that inhibit platelet function
• No other concurrent investigational or commercial agents or therapies for the malignancy
• No concurrent antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
• No concurrent ketoconazole, zidovudine, or macrolide antibiotics
• No concurrent oral or parenteral anticoagulants except to maintain patency of permanent, indwelling central venous catheter
• No concurrent thrombolytic agent
• Concurrent bisphosphonates allowed
• Concurrent celecoxib or rofecoxib allowed