S9916, Combination Therapy in Treating Patients With Advanced Prostate Cancer That Has Not Responded to Hormone Therapy

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate
* Unresponsive or refractory to hormonal therapy, as defined by at least 1 of the following criteria:

  * Progression of bidimensionally measurable disease
  * Progression of evaluable but not measurable disease (bone scan)
  * At least 2 consecutive rises in PSA and a PSA level of at least 5 ng/mL
* No minimum PSA required for measurable disease or non-PSA evaluable disease
* Soft tissue disease that has been irradiated within the past 2 months is not considered measurable disease
* Prior orchiectomy OR
* Medical castration using leuprolide or goserelin

  * Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist therapy must continue during study
* Prior nonsteroidal antiandrogens (flutamide, ketoconazole, bicalutamide, or nilutamide) allowed if disease progression occurred
* No third-space fluid accumulation such as ascites or symptomatic pleural effusion
* No brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* SWOG 0-3
* Performance status 3 must be due to pain secondary to bone metastases

Life expectancy:

* Not specified

Hematopoietic:

* No hypercoagulability

Hepatic:

* Not specified

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

* No history of myocardial infarction
* No history of congestive heart failure unless well controlled
* No history of cerebrovascular accident or atrial fibrillation
* No active thrombophlebitis
* Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at least 50% by Multi Gated Acquisition Scan (MUGA) scan or 2-D echocardiogram

Pulmonary:

* No history of pulmonary embolus

Other:

* Recovered from major infections
* No other significant active medical illness
* No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or stage I or II cancer currently in complete remission

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* At least 4 weeks since prior biologic therapy and recovered
* No more than 1 prior biologic therapy regimen
* No concurrent biological response modifiers

Chemotherapy:

* At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered
* No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen
* No prior estramustine, taxanes, anthracyclines, or mitoxantrone
* No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior flutamide or ketoconazole (6 weeks for bicalutamide or nilutamide)
* No concurrent corticosteroids or hormonal therapy (except megestrol for hot flashes or continuing LHRH treatment)

Radiotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* Prior samarium Sm 153 lexidronam pentasodium allowed
* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
* No prior radiotherapy to 30% or more of bone marrow
* No prior strontium chloride Sr 89
* No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 3 weeks since prior surgery and recovered

Other:

* At least 4 weeks since prior bisphosphonates
* No prior anticoagulation therapy (i.e., warfarin), except aspirin
* No concurrent bisphosphonates