Pilot Study Of Allogeneic Peripheral Blood Progenitor Cell Transplantation In Patients With Chemotherapy-Refractory Or Poor-Prognosis Metastatic Breast Cancer

Study start date: July 1, 2003

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the breast * Metastatic disease * Meets 1 of the following criteria: * Chemotherapy-unresponsive disease defined as 1 of the following: * Less than a partial response to 2 consecutive chemotherapy regimens that included an anthracycline and a taxane in combination or succession * Progression of disease during or within 3 months of completion of a taxane, anthracycline, or platinol-based regimen * Histologically confirmed tumor involvement on bone marrow biopsy * Measurable or evaluable disease\* defined as the following: * Bidimensionally reproducible measurable mass by physical examination, ultrasonography, radiography, CT scan, or MRI * Evaluable lesions apparent on clinical exam, x-ray, CT scan, or MRI which do not fit the criteria for measurability (e.g., ill-defined post-surgical masses or masses assessable in 1 dimension only) * Elevation of biological markers (e.g., CA 27.29) is considered evaluable disease NOTE: \*Bone lesions or pleural or peritoneal effusion alone are not considered measurable or evaluable disease * Appropriate candidate for allogeneic stem cell transplantation * No active CNS metastases * Available HLA-identical sibling donor * 6/6 antigen match * Donor CD34 cells at least 2 times 10\^6/kg recipient weight * Hormone receptor status: * Estrogen receptor negative or positive * Estrogen receptor positive tumors must demonstrate progression on at least 1 hormonal manipulation PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 to 60 Sex * Female Menopausal status * Not specified Performance status * Karnofsky 70-100% OR * ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy * Not specified Hematopoietic * WBC at least 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count at least 30,000/mm\^3 Hepatic * Bilirubin less than 3 times normal\* * AST and ALT less than 3 times normal\* NOTE: \*Unless abnormality due to malignancy Renal * Creatinine no greater than 1.6 mg/dL Cardiovascular * LVEF greater than 40% by echocardiography or MUGA * No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months Pulmonary * DLCO greater than 40% of predicted Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * HIV negative * No serious localized or systemic infection * No hypersensitivity to E. coli-derived products * No history of non-breast malignant disease within the past 5 years except completely excised nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix * No chronic inflammatory disorder requiring concurrent glucocorticosteroids or other immunosuppressive medication * No psychological condition or social situation that would preclude study participation PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * Not specified Chemotherapy * See Disease Characteristics Endocrine therapy * No concurrent glucocorticoids Radiotherapy * No prior radiotherapy to an indicator lesion unless the lesion shows evidence of progression after discontinuation of the therapy Surgery * Not specified Other * No concurrent immunosuppressive medication