Paclitaxel or Docetaxel in Treating Women With Advanced Breast Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically proven metastatic or locally advanced, inoperable adenocarcinoma of the breast * Clinically evident metastases (e.g., clearly malignant lesions on chest x-ray or CT or abdominal CT do not require histologic confirmation) * Hot spots on bone scan not shown to be malignant on plain x-rays are not adequate evidence of malignant disease in the absence of other lesions * Must meet 1 of the following conditions: * Disease progression after 1 prior chemotherapy regimen for locally advanced or metastatic disease (which may or may not have followed a separate adjuvant regimen using chemotherapy or hormonal therapy) * Locally advanced or metastatic disease during or after 1 adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen * One of the above chemotherapy regimens must have contained an anthracycline (e.g., doxorubicin, but not mitoxantrone) * Single drug substitution (e.g., methotrexate for doxorubicin) during prior combination chemotherapy allowed * Bidimensionally measurable * No clinical or radiographic evidence of brain or leptomeningeal disease * Hormone receptor status: * Not specified PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: * 18 and over Sex: * Female Menopausal status: * Not specified Performance status: * Karnofsky 60-100% OR * ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy: * At least 12 weeks Hematopoietic: * Absolute neutrophil count at least 2,000/mm3 * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: * Bilirubin normal * SGOT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal Renal: * Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL * No uncontrolled hypercalcemia Cardiovascular: * No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months * No history of arrhythmia requiring treatment * No heart block * No clinical evidence of congestive heart failure * No unstable angina (e.g., new onset, crescendo, or rest angina) * Stable exertional angina allowed Other: * No current symptomatic grade 2 or greater peripheral neuropathy * No history of hypersensitivity to products containing Cremophor EL (e.g., cyclosporine or teniposide) or Polysorbate 80 (e.g., IV etoposide) * No serious infection * No significant psychiatric disease that would preclude study * No other malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanomatous skin cancer or completely excised carcinoma in situ of the cervix * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: * No prior bone marrow or stem cell transplantation Chemotherapy: * See Disease Characteristics * At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy (2 weeks for oral cyclophosphamide or 6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) * No prior high-dose chemotherapy given with ablative intent * No prior taxoids * No other concurrent antineoplastic therapy Endocrine therapy: * See Disease Characteristics * Prior hormonal therapy as adjuvant therapy or for metastatic disease allowed * At least 1 week since prior hormonal therapy * No concurrent corticosteroids except: * Prophylaxis or treatment for acute hypersensitivity reactions * Chronic therapy (more than 6 months) at low doses (20 mg/day or less of methylprednisolone or equivalent) Radiotherapy: * At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy to major bone marrow areas * No prior high-dose radiotherapy given with ablative intent * No concurrent radiotherapy except limited palliative radiotherapy (e.g., for a solitary rib fracture) during objective response Surgery: * See Disease Characteristics * More than 2 weeks since prior surgery except simple biopsy or placement of venous access device Other: * At least 4 weeks since prior investigational drugs * Concurrent medications known to alter cardiac conduction (e.g., digoxin, beta blockers, or calcium channel blockers) allowed * No concurrent ketoconazole * No concurrent bisphosphonates unless initiated more than 3 months before randomization * No concurrent experimental drug or therapy