OBJECTIVES: I. Evaluate the effect on 3-year survival of intensive chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide/thiotepa with peripheral blood stem cell rescue in women with locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer who respond to induction therapy with epirubicin/fluorouracil/cyclophosphamide. II. Evaluate the effects of this intensive treatment on patient quality of life. III. Evaluate tumor response and progression-free survival after intensification.