Trastuzumab, Ixabepilone, and Carboplatin in Treating Patients With HER2/Neu-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer

Inclusion Criteria: Patients with histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the breast which is metastatic and is known to overexpress HER2/neu who have received no prior chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer; prior hormonal therapy for metastatic disease is allowed; NOTE: for this protocol, HER2 overexpression will be defined as 3+ HER2 positivity as measured by immunohistochemistry using the HercepTest (DAKO) or HER2 gene amplification as measured by fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH, e.g. Vysis); representative diagnostic tissue must be submitted for central diagnostic review Patients must not be pregnant or breast feeding because of the teratogenic potential of these drugs; it is recommended that all females of childbearing potential have a blood test or urine study within 2 weeks prior to registration to rule out pregnancy; women of childbearing potential and sexually active males must be strongly advised to use an accepted and effective non-hormonal method of contraception Patients must have at least one objective measurable disease parameter; baseline measurements and evaluations using RECIST criteria guidelines must be obtained within 4 weeks prior to registration to the study; NOTE: all areas of disease should be recorded and followed Patients must have an ECOG performance status of 0 or 1 Patients must be disease free of prior malignancy for >= 5 years with the exception of curatively treated basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinomas of the skin or carcinoma in situ of the cervix Patients must not have a history of untreated brain metastasis or brain metastasis currently undergoing radiation; patients with brain metastasis representing the sole site of disease are not eligible for this study; patients with previously treated brain metastasis who have responded to brain radiotherapy and/or surgery and continue in response are eligible provided the brain is not the only site of measurable disease Patients must not have peripheral neuropathy of any grade Patients must not have a history of prior severe (grade 3 or 4) hypersensitivity reaction to a drug formulated in polyoxyethylated castor oil (Cremophor EL) Patients must have left ventricular ejection fraction by MUGA scan or echocardiogram that is at or above the lower institutional limits of normal obtained within 6 weeks prior to registration Patients must not have a history of New York Heart Association class 3 or 4 heart failure Serum creatinine =< 1.5 mg/dl Granulocytes >= 1500/mm^3 Platelets >= 100,000/mm^3 SGOT(AST) and SGPT(ALT) =< 1.5 x upper limit of normal (unless liver is involved by tumor, in which case SGOT(AST) and SGPT(ALT) can be =< 2.0 x upper limit of normal) Patients must have no history of prior therapy with trastuzumab (Herceptin), Ixabepilone (BMS-247550) or carboplatin for metastatic disease; patients who develop metastatic disease =< 6 months after completing adjuvant trastuzumab (Herceptin), paclitaxel, docetaxel, carboplatin, or Ixabepilone (BMS-247550) are considered to have had prior therapy for metastatic disease and are excluded from study participation Patients must not have received a cumulative dose of doxorubicin of greater than 360 mg/m^2 or epirubicin of greater than 640 mg/m^2 Concurrent use of hormonal therapy is not permitted; concurrent radiation therapy is not permitted; hormonal therapy must have been discontinued >= 1 week prior to registration; radiation therapy must have been completed >= 2 weeks prior to registration Patients may have had prior radiation therapy, but the previously irradiated tumors cannot be used to assess a clinical response; patients will not be eligible if they do not have other areas of measurable disease; an exception will be given for patients who have had tumor recurrence in an area that received adjuvant radiation treatments, such as the axilla or chest wall