DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Female patients with Stage II, III or IV breast carcinoma in remission, and not eligible for protocols of higher priority (DM89-102) Stage II breast cancer must have spread to at least 10 axillary nodes; patients with fewer than 10 nodes must have extranodal extensions Patients with greater than 75% positive nodes for tumor are eligible No bone marrow involvement with tumor by standard histopathological exam of bilateral iliac marrow biopsies 2 weeks prior to study Prior normalization of markers needed in patients with elevated tumor markers (e.g., CEA) Metastatic disease patients must have documentation verifying at least 50% reduction of all sites of disease, except bone Stable bone metastases measured via bone scan are eligible Responsive disease but with large tumor burden should enter high risk BMT protocols (93-090)