Herceptin Followed by Chemotherapy in Treating Women With Metastatic Breast Cancer That Overexpresses HER2

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast carcinoma * Clinically or radiologically measurable or evaluable disease * Bidimensionally or unidimensionally measurable lesions * No ascitic, pleural, or pericardial effusions, osteoblastic bone metastases, or carcinomatous lymphangitis of the lung as only indicator lesion * No known clinical brain or meningeal involvement * Hormone receptor status: * Not specified PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: * 18 to 70 Sex: * Female Menopausal status: * Not specified Performance status: * ECOG 0-1 OR * SAKK 0-1 Life expectancy: * At least 12 weeks Hematopoietic: * Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3 * Absolute neutrophil count at least 2,000/mm\^3 Hepatic: * Bilirubin normal * SGOT and/or SGPT no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (3 times ULN if proven liver metastases) OR * No SGOT and/or SGPT greater than 1.5 times ULN if alkaline phosphatase greater than 2.5 times ULN Renal: * Creatinine no greater than 1.25 times ULN Cardiovascular: * LVEF normal * No history of atrial ventricular arrhythmia, congestive heart failure, or angina pectoris, even if medically controlled * No history of second or third-degree heart blocks * No uncontrolled hypertension Other: * Not pregnant or nursing * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No pre-existing motor or sensory neuropathy grade 2 or greater * No psychiatric disorder that would preclude informed consent * No other prior malignancy except curatively treated nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix * No definite contraindications for use of corticosteroids * No other concurrent serious illness or medical condition PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: * Not specified Chemotherapy: * Prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy allowed * No more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens for metastatic disease * No prior cumulative dose of doxorubicin greater than 240 mg/m\^2 * No prior cumulative dose of epirubicin greater than 360 mg/m\^2 * No prior taxanes Endocrine therapy: * Prior hormonal therapy as adjuvant treatment or for metastatic disease allowed * No concurrent corticosteroids unless started more than 6 months prior to study and at low doses (i.e., no greater than 20 mg methylprednisolone or equivalent) Radiotherapy: * Not specified Surgery: * Not specified Other: * No other concurrent anticancer drugs * No other concurrent experimental drugs * No concurrent bisphosphonates unless initiated more than 3 months prior to study * Chronic use allowed provided bone metastases are not sole indicator lesions