Paclitaxel With or Without Bevacizumab in Treating Patients With Locally Recurrent or Metastatic Breast Cancer

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Monoclonal antibodies, such as bevacizumab, can block cancer growth in different ways. Some block the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread. Others find cancer cells and help kill them or deliver cancer-killing substances to them. It is not yet known whether paclitaxel works better with or without bevacizumab in treating breast cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is to see if paclitaxel works better with or without bevacizumab in treating patients who have locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer.