PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Prior trastuzumab allowed No prior bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics Prior doxorubicin not to exceed total cumulative dose of 360 mg/m2 No more than 6 standard courses of pretransplant salvage chemotherapy No more than 3 months of prior weekly taxane therapy More than 1 chemotherapy regimen allowed with no progression during chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: Concurrent tamoxifen therapy allowed for estrogen receptor positive patients who have not received prior hormonal therapy No other concurrent hormonal therapy Radiotherapy: No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery: Not specified Other: Concurrent pamidronate allowed for bone lesions