Vaccine Therapy With or Without Cyclophosphamide and Doxorubicin in Women With Stage IV Breast Cancer

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the breast * Stage IV disease * Stable disease for ≥ 28 days * Measurable or evaluable disease OR no evidence of disease * Not eligible for potentially curative therapy * Adequately treated CNS metastases are allowed * Hormone receptor status: * Not specified * HER-2/neu status: * Not specified PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Sex * Female Menopausal status * Not specified Performance status * ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy * Not specified Hematopoietic * Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,000/mm\^3 * Platelet count \> 100,000/mm\^3 Hepatic * Bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dL (unless due to Gilbert's syndrome) * AST and ALT ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 5 times ULN Renal * Creatinine \< 2.0 mg/dL Cardiovascular * Ejection fraction ≥ 45% by echocardiogram or MUGA Pulmonary * Asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease allowed provided daily systemic corticosteroid therapy is not required Immunologic * No active autoimmune disease requiring systemic immunosuppressive therapy, including any of the following: * Inflammatory bowel disease * Systemic vasculitis * Scleroderma * Psoriasis * Multiple sclerosis * Hemolytic anemia * Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia * Rheumatoid arthritis * Systemic lupus erythematosus * Sjögren's syndrome * Sarcoidosis * Other rheumatologic disease * HIV negative * No active acute or chronic infection * No allergy to corn Other * No other malignancy within the past 5 years except carcinoma in situ of the cervix, superficial nonmelanoma skin cancer, or superficial bladder cancer * No active major medical or psychosocial problem that would preclude study participation * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after study participation PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * More than 28 days since prior biologic therapy * No other concurrent biologic therapy, including trastuzumab (Herceptin®) Chemotherapy * Prior adjuvant chemotherapy allowed * Prior doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide allowed * Prior doxorubicin dose combined with planned study therapy dose must not exceed a lifetime cumulative dose of ≥ 450 mg/m\^2 * More than 28 days since prior systemic chemotherapy * No other concurrent systemic chemotherapy Endocrine therapy * More than 28 days since prior systemic corticosteroids * Concurrent hormonal or endocrine therapy allowed * No concurrent systemic corticosteroids Radiotherapy * More than 28 days since prior radiotherapy * No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery * Not specified Other * More than 28 days since prior participation in another investigational drug trial * No other concurrent investigational drugs * Concurrent bisphosphonates allowed