This phase 0/II trial studies the effect of carbon C 14 oxaliplatin in tumor tissue and blood and the side effects and how well oxaliplatin works in treating patients with metastatic breast cancer. DNA analysis of tumor tissue and blood samples from patients receiving carbon C 14 oxaliplatin may help doctors predict how well patients will respond to treatment with oxaliplatin. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as oxaliplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To detect the levels of oxaliplatin-deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) adducts induced by oxaliplatin microdosing in tumor tissue and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and correlate the results with patient response to oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Evaluate the efficacy of single agent oxaliplatin treatment (130mg/m^2, 2 hr intravenously [IV] day 1; every 3 weeks) in pre-treated, metastatic breast cancer patients.

II. Evaluate the toxicity of oxaliplatin microdose and chemotherapy treatment in this patient population.

III. Determine the pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters of oxaliplatin microdosing and correlate with the PK parameters of therapeutic oxaliplatin.

IV. Determine whether the pharmacokinetics of oxaliplatin microdosing affects oxaliplatin-induced DNA damage and, therefore, patient response to chemotherapy.

V. Detect repair of DNA adducts in PBMC and correlate with patient response to oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy.

VI. Correlate the adduct and patient response data to DNA repair genes, such as excision repair cross-complementing (ERCC)1 levels as measured by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

OUTLINE:

PHASE 0: Patients receive carbon C 14 oxaliplatin IV over 2 minutes on day 1.

PHASE II: Patients receive oxaliplatin IV over 2 hours on day 1. Courses repeat every 3 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up for up to 6 months.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participants must have metastatic breast cancer that can be biopsied or resected around 48 hours after dosing with one microdose of [14C]oxaliplatin (carbon C 14 oxaliplatin)
• Prior radiation or surgery is allowed, but should be finished at least 2 weeks prior to study enrollment; if a participant has prior radiation therapy, at least one measurable lesion outside of the radiation field should be available for the evaluation of response to chemotherapy
• Patients with metastatic breast cancer for which no standard therapy exists will be recruited for this study; more specifically, for patients with hormone receptor positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2) negative disease, this includes previous therapy with tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor and one line of chemotherapy in the metastatic setting; for patients with Her2 positive disease, this includes 2 lines of Her2 directed therapy in the metastatic setting; and for patients with triple negative disease, this includes one line of chemotherapy in the metastatic setting; once we have identified the dose of [14C]oxaliplatin, we will only recruit triple negative breast cancer patients that progressed after one line of chemotherapy in the metastatic setting
• Any number of prior therapies other than oxaliplatin is allowed
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status equal to or less than 2 (Karnofsky equal to or greater than 50%)
• Life expectancy of at least 3 months
• Absolute neutrophil count greater than or equal to 1,500/microL
• Platelets greater than or equal to 100,000/microL
• Total bilirubin less than 1.5 X institutional upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT]) less than or equal to 2.5 X ULN
• Creatinine less than 1.5 X ULN
• No pre-existing sensory neuropathy > grade 1
• Women of child bearing potential must not be pregnant; a pre-study pregnancy test must be negative
• Women of child-bearing potential must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry and for 30 days after study participation
• Men must agree to use adequate contraception (barrier method or abstinence) prior to study entry and for 30 days after study participation
• Ability to understand and willing to sign a written informed consent document

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients must not receive concomitant radiation with chemotherapy if they do not have any measurable lesions outside of the radiation field
• Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements
• Participants who are pregnant or nursing
• Participants who are allergic to platinum agent
• Participants who have more than grade 1 peripheral neuropathy