slow accrual

RATIONALE: Antineoplastons are naturally-occurring substances that may also be made in the laboratory. Antineoplastons may inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

PURPOSE: This phase II trial studies the effectiveness of antineoplaston therapy in treating women who have stage IV breast cancer that has not responded to previous therapy.

OVERVIEW: This is a single arm, open-label study in which patients with Stage IV breast cancer receive gradually escalating doses of intravenous Antineoplaston therapy (Atengenal + Astugenal) until the maximum tolerated dose is reached. Treatment continues up to12 months in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

OBJECTIVES:

• To determine the efficacy of Antineoplaston therapy in patients with Stage IV breast cancer, as measured by an objective response to therapy (complete response, partial response or stable disease).
• To determine the safety and tolerance of Antineoplaston therapy in patients with Stage IV breast cancer.
• To determine objective response, tumor size is measured utilizing MRI scans, which are performed every 8 weeks for the first two years, every 3 months for the third and fourth years, every 6 months for the 5th and sixth years, and annually thereafter.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed stage IV breast cancer that is unlikely to respond to existing therapy and for which no curative therapy exists

  • Must have failed prior standard therapy

• Measurable disease by MRI or CT scan

• Tumor must be at least 2 cm in the lymph nodes in the head, neck, axillary, inguinal, or femoral areas and at least 0.5 cm in other locations

• Hormone receptor status:

  • Not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Sex:

• Female

Menopausal Status:

• Not specified

Performance status:

• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

• At least 2 months

Hematopoietic:

• WBC at least 2,000/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 50,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin nor greater than 2.5 mg/dL
• SGOT/SGPT no greater than 5 times upper limit of normal
• No hepatic failure

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 2.5 mg/dL
• No history of renal conditions that contraindicate high dosages of sodium

Cardiovascular:

• No chronic heart failure
• No uncontrolled hypertension
• No history of congestive heart failure
• No history of other cardiovascular conditions that contraindicate high dosages of sodium

Pulmonary:

• No severe lung disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 4 weeks after study participation
• No serious medical or psychiatric disorders
• No active infections
• No other serious concurrent disease

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy, except in patients with disease progression during or after initial therapy
• Recovery from prior immunotherapy
• No concurrent immunomodulating agents

Chemotherapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas), except in patients with disease progression during or after initial therapy
• Recovery from prior chemotherapy
• No concurrent antineoplastic agents

Endocrine therapy:

• At least 12 weeks since prior hormonal therapy, except in patients with disease progression during and after initial therapy
• Concurrent corticosteroids allowed
• Recovery from prior hormonal therapy

Radiotherapy:

• At least 8 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered (patients with multiple tumors who have received radiotherapy to some, but not all, tumors may be admitted earlier than 8 weeks)

Surgery:

• Recovered from any prior surgery

Other:

• No prior antineoplaston therapy
• Prior cytodifferentiating agent allowed