OBJECTIVES: I. Assess the toxicity and response rates to induction therapy with docetaxel and doxorubicin in women with chemotherapy naive metastatic breast cancer. II. Assess the toxicity and response rates to sequential high dose chemotherapy following induction chemotherapy in women with metastatic breast cancer. III. Determine the hematopoietic recovery rate following CD34+ selected peripheral blood stem cell support in this patient population. IV. Assess the toxicity of noncytotoxic maintenance therapy following high dose chemotherapy in this patient population.