Erlotinib and Everolimus in Treating Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the breast * Evaluable metastatic disease (no need for measurable disease) * Must have had anthracycline therapy in the adjuvant setting or failed anthracycline treatment in the metastatic setting * Total cumulative dose of lifetime exposure of doxorubicin not greater than 360 mg/m\^2 or epirubicin not greater than 640 mg/m\^2 * Must have failed previous taxane (paclitaxel or docetaxel) therapy, defined as: * Taxane use in the adjuvant setting with metastatic relapse within 12 months of therapy * Progression on taxane therapy in the metastatic setting * Discontinuation of taxane therapy in the metastatic setting secondary to lack of resolution of ≥ grade 2 toxicity * No symptomatic brain metastases * Patients with a history of brain metastases are eligible provided they are clinically stable and not taking steroids or therapeutic anticonvulsants that are CYP3A4 modifiers * Patients with asymptomatic brain metastasis are eligible provided they are not on prophylactic anticonvulsants that are CYP3A4 modifiers * Hormone receptor status not specified PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Inclusion criteria * Menopausal status not specified * ECOG performance status 0-1 * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * SGOT and SGPT ≤ 2.5 times ULN * Albumin \> 30 g/L * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 upper limit of normal * INR normal provided the patient is not on warfarin therapy * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test for premenopausal patients * Fertile patients must use effective barrier method contraception during and for 3 months after completion of study treatment * Patients must be disease-free of prior invasive cancers for \> 5 years with the exception of basal cell or squamous cell cancer of the skin or cervical carcinoma in situ Exclusion criteria * Serious or non-healing active wound, ulcer, or bone fracture * Known human immunodeficiency virus positivity * Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, any of the following * Ongoing or active infection requiring parenteral antibiotics * Impairment of lung function (COPD, lung conditions requiring oxygen therapy) * Symptomatic congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease) * Unstable angina pectoris or myocardial infarction within the past 6 months * Uncontrolled hypertension (i.e., systolic blood pressure \> 180 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure \> 100 mm Hg, found on two consecutive measurements separated by a 1-week period despite adequate medical support) * Clinically significant cardiac arrhythmia (multifocal premature ventricular contractions, bigeminy, trigeminy, ventricular tachycardia that is symptomatic or requires treatment) * Uncontrolled diabetes * Psychiatric illness/social situations that would compromise patient safety or limit compliance with study requirements including maintenance of a compliance/pill diary PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Inclusion criteria * See Disease Characteristics * Prior trastuzumab (Herceptin®) in the first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer is required for patients who have HER2/neu overexpressing tumors * More than 6 months since prior cardiac angioplasty or stenting * Use of endocrine therapy (i.e., aromatase inhibitors, fulvestrant, tamoxifen or ovarian ablation) in the first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer is required for patients who have estrogen receptor and or progesterone receptor expressing tumors * Concurrent endocrine therapy is not allowed * Patients may receive concurrent radiotherapy to painful bone metastases or areas of impending bone fracture as long as radiotherapy is initiated prior to study entry * Patients who have received prior radiotherapy must have recovered from toxicity induced by this treatment * More than 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy, biological or hormonal therapy while on protocol therapy. * No other concurrent antineoplastic or antitumor agents, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, or hormonal anticancer therapy Exclusion criteria * More than 3 prior chemotherapy treatments in the metastatic setting * This restriction does not include endocrine therapies or single agent biologic therapies (i.e., trastuzumab \[Herceptin®\]) * Use of steroids or immunosuppressants * Use of CYP3A4 modifiers * Concurrent therapy with trastuzumab (Herceptin®) * Use of growth support factors (e.g., filgrastim \[G-CSF\], sargramostim \[GM-CSF\], recombinant erythropoietin) during the phase I portion of the study * Other concurrent investigational agents