Ixabepilone With or Without Estramustine in Treating Patients With Progressive Prostate Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate
* Must have disease progression meeting 1 of the following criteria:

  * Rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) on at least 3 consecutive measurements taken more than 1 week apart
  * Measurable disease, defined as new or progressive soft tissue masses on CT scan or MRI
  * New metastatic lesions by radionuclide bone scan
* The most recent PSA must be at least 4 ng/mL if no measurable disease is present
* Ineligible if sole manifestation of progressive disease is an increase in disease-related symptoms
* Serum testosterone no greater than 50 ng/mL
* One of the following therapies for maintenance of castrate status required:

  * Must continue on gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs (e.g., leuprolide or goserelin) to maintain castrate levels of serum testosterone

    * Developed disease progression after discontinuation of the antiandrogen that was part of the first-line hormonal therapy
  * Prior surgical orchiectomy
* Developed disease progression after discontinuation of megestrol
* No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy:

* Not specified

Hematopoietic:

* WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
* Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
* No history of bleeding disorder that would preclude anticoagulation with warfarin

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin normal
* AST/ALT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* PT/PTT normal (unless anticoagulated for other reasons \[e.g., atrial fibrillation\])

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN

Cardiovascular:

* No significant cardiovascular disease
* No symptomatic congestive heart failure
* No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
* No active unstable angina pectoris
* No cardiac arrhythmia
* No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
* No history of hemorrhagic or thrombotic cerebrovascular accident or deep venous thrombosis within the past 6 months

Pulmonary:

* No pulmonary embolism within the past 6 months

Other:

* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No history of allergic reactions to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to the epothilones
* No history of recent gastrointestinal bleeding that would preclude anticoagulation with warfarin
* No other concurrent active malignancy except nonmelanomatous skin cancer

  * Disease not considered currently active if completely treated with less than a 30% risk for relapse
* No other concurrent uncontrolled illness
* No ongoing or active infection
* No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* No concurrent routine filgrastim (G-CSF) or sargramostim (GM-CSF) except for neutropenic fever
* No concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy:

* No prior chemotherapy
* No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

* See Disease Characteristics

Radiotherapy:

* No prior palliative radiotherapy to more than 25% of bone marrow
* No prior radioisotope therapy with strontium chloride Sr 89 or samarium Sm 153 lexidronam pentasodium
* No concurrent therapeutic radiotherapy
* Concurrent focal radiotherapy for palliation of bone disease-related symptoms allowed at the investigator's discretion

Surgery:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery

Other:

* No other concurrent anticancer investigational or commercial agents or therapies
* No concurrent herbal, alternative, or food supplements (e.g., PC-SPES, saw palmetto, or St. John's Wort)
* No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
* No initiation of bisphosphonates immediately before or during study
* Concurrent bisphosphonates allowed if developed disease progression while on stable doses
* Concurrent daily multivitamin allowed