This study is designed to investigate the safety and efficacy of the combination of imatinib and vinorelbine in patients with advanced, anthracycline resistant breast cancer

Inclusion criteria:

• Histologically documented diagnosis of invasive breast cancer that is locally advanced or metastatic
• Previous anthracycline containing chemotherapy
• Presence of a certain protein on the cell surface (c-kit (CD117) and /or PDGF-receptor)
• Preferably tumor samples should be taken within 6 weeks of study entry. Most recent primary tumor tissue has to be available for analysis
• Acceptable health status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group [ECOG]-performance status 0,1, 2 or 3)

Exclusion criteria: (for the second-line therapy)

• Patient with Grade III/IV cardiac problems (i.e., congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction within 6 months of study) and with severe and/or uncontrolled medical disease (i.e., uncontrolled diabetes, chronic renal disease, or active uncontrolled infection).
• Patient has a known brain metastasis, chronic liver disease (i.e., chronic active hepatitis, and cirrhosis) and diagnosis of (HIV) infection.
• Patient received chemotherapy within 4 weeks prior to study entry, unless the disease is rapidly progressing.
• Patient previously received radiotherapy to ≥ 25 % of the bone marrow and had a major surgery within 2 weeks prior to study entry.
• Patient received either Vinorelbine or Imatinib in previous treatment regimens

Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply