Vinflunine and Capecitabine in Treating Patients With Previously Treated Metastatic Breast Cancer

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed breast cancer meeting the following criteria: * Metastatic disease * Previously treated with 1-2 chemotherapy regimens for metastatic disease * Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 measurable lesion ≥ 2.0 cm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 1.0 cm by spiral CT scan * No nonmeasurable disease, including any of the following: * Bone lesions * Leptomeningeal disease * Ascites * Pleural or pericardial effusion * Inflammatory breast disease * Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis * Abdominal masses not confirmed and followed by imaging techniques * Cystic lesions * Must have received ≥ 1 prior trastuzumab (Herceptin®)-containing regimen (unless there is a contraindication) if tumor is HER2 positive (3+ by immunohistochemistry or amplified by fluorescent in situ hybridization \[FISH\]) * No CNS metastasis unless controlled by prior surgery and/or radiotherapy * Controlled is defined as ≥ 2 months of no symptoms or evidence of progression * Currently enrolled on clinical trial QOL N0392 * Hormone receptor status not specified * Hormone-positive tumor must meet at least 1 of the following criteria: * Tumor refractory to hormonal therapy * Heavy visceral tumor burden that requires chemotherapy for better and faster control of metastatic disease * Relapsed disease during adjuvant hormonal therapy and failed first-line chemotherapy * Not treated with hormonal therapy because of side effects or adverse events PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Male or female * Menopausal status not specified * ECOG performance status 0-2 * Life expectancy ≥ 3 months * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin \> 8.0 g/dL * WBC ≥ 3,000/mm\^3 * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Alkaline phosphatase (AP), AST, and ALT must meet 1 of the following criteria: * AP normal AND AST and ALT ≤ 5 times ULN * AP ≤ 2.5 times ULN AND AST and ALT ≤ 1.5 times ULN * AP ≤ 5 times ULN AND AST and ALT normal * Creatinine clearance ≥ 30 mL/min * Serum sodium normal * Not pregnant or nursing * No nursing during and for 30 days after completion of study therapy * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 30 days after completion of study therapy * No history of allergy or hypersensitivity to drug product excipients or to agents chemically similar to vinflunine and/or capecitabine * No prior unanticipated severe reaction to fluoropyrimidine therapy * No known hypersensitivity to fluorouracil * No known dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency * No active, unresolved infection * No New York Heart Association class III-IV cardiovascular disease, unstable angina, myocardial infarction within the past 6 months, or poorly controlled hypertension * No preexisting neuropathy ≥ grade 2 * No concurrent serious medical condition that would preclude study treatment * No other stage III or IV invasive cancer within the past 3 years * No lack of physical integrity of the upper gastrointestinal tract, clinically significant malabsorption syndrome, or inability to take oral medication * Ability to complete questionnaires alone or with assistance PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics * Prior unlimited hormonal therapy allowed in the neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or metastatic setting * No major surgery, chemotherapy, or immunologic therapy within the past 4 weeks * No radiotherapy within the past 4 weeks, except if to a nontarget lesion only * Prior radiotherapy to a target lesion is allowed if there has been clear progression of the lesion since radiotherapy was completed * If patient received single-dose radiotherapy or palliation to a nontarget lesion only, the patient may immediately proceed to study registration without waiting 4 weeks * No prior fluoropyrimidines, including capecitabine, or vinca alkaloids (e.g., vinorelbine, vinblastine, vincristine, or vindesine) for metastatic breast cancer * No prior radiotherapy to \> 30% of bone marrow-containing areas * No cimetidine, allopurinol, sorivudine, or brivudine within the past 2 weeks * No ketoconazole, itraconazole, ritonavir, amprenavir, or indinavir within the past 2 weeks * No concurrent treatment in another clinical trial in which investigational procedures are performed or investigational therapies are administered * No concurrent trastuzumab (Herceptin®) * No concurrent hormonal therapy * No concurrent interleukin-11 * No other concurrent chemotherapeutic agents, biologic agents, or radiotherapy * No concurrent administration of any of the following: * Cimetidine * Allopurinol * Sorivudine * Brivudine * Ketoconazole * Itraconazole * Ritonavir * Amprenavir * Indinavir * Warfarin allowed if patient is on a stable dose and has an INR \< 3.0