Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically proven progressive metastatic breast cancer * Measurable disease * Any lesion measurable in 2 dimensions * Hepatic metastases if the sum of the measurements below the costal margin in the midclavicular line and the tip to the xiphoid process is greater than 5 cm during quiet respiration * Hepatic defects that are clearly measurable by radionuclide, CAT, or MRI scans * Bone metastases are not considered measurable disease * Evaluable disease allowed if measurable disease also present * No brain metastases, carcinomatous meningitis, or spinal cord compression * Hormone receptor status: * Not specified PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: * Not specified Menopausal status: * Not specified Performance status: * ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy: * At least 3 months Hematopoietic: * Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL * WBC at least 4,000/mm3 * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: * Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL Renal: * Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL * No bladder outlet obstruction Cardiovascular: * No symptomatic cardiovascular disease (e.g., congestive heart disease) or inability to tolerate a fluid load Other: * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No active infection * No prior malignancies except adequately treated basal or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: * No greater than 1 prior biologic response modifier treatment for metastatic disease Chemotherapy: * No greater than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen for metastatic disease allowed * Patients who relapsed during or within 6 months after adjuvant chemotherapy are considered to have failed 1 regimen * Patients who relapsed more than 6 months after adjuvant chemotherapy are considered to not have had a prior regimen * Greater than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (greater than 6 weeks for mitomycin or nitrosoureas) and recovered * No prior cisplatin, etoposide, or ifosfamide Endocrine therapy: * Prior medical or surgical hormonal therapy allowed Radiotherapy: * Prior radiation therapy to areas of measurable disease allowed if indicator lesion increased in size by greater than 25% after treatment * Recovered from effects of prior radiotherapy Surgery: * Recovered from effects of major surgery Other: * At least 7 days since prior nephrotoxic drugs (e.g., aminoglycosides, diuretics, lithium, intravenous contrast, or nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs)