Vaccine Therapy and QS21 in Treating Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed stage IV breast cancer meeting 1 of the following criteria:
• * No evidence of disease
• * Stable disease on hormonal therapy
• * Stable disease must be present for ≥ 2 months and include \< 30% decrease or \< 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesion
• * No new target lesions or unequivocal progression of non-target lesions
• * Elevation in the CA 153 (BR2729) or CEA values allowed
• Hormone receptor status not specified
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Female or male
• Menopausal status not specified
• Karnofsky performance status 80-100%
• Lymphocyte count ≥ 500/mm³
• WBC ≥ 3,000/mm³
• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No history of allergy to seafood
• No NYHA class III-IV cardiac disease
• No other active cancers except basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin
• No active infection requiring antibiotic treatment
• No known history of immunodeficiency or autoimmune disease
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior surgery
• At least 6 weeks since prior immunotherapy
• No prior sialyl Lewisª antigen
• No concurrent immunosuppressive medications (i.e., corticosteroids)
• Concurrent hormonal therapy allowed