Docetaxel, Estramustine, and Exisulind in Treating Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer That Has Not Responded to Hormone Therapy

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate

  * Progressive systemic (metastatic) disease despite castrate levels of testosterone secondary to orchiectomy or luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist therapy

    * Castrate levels of testosterone must be maintained
    * LHRH analog therapy should be continued
  * Failed prior standard androgen-deprivation therapy
  * Serum testosterone no greater than 50 ng/mL for patients who have not had bilateral orchiectomy
* Evidence of metastatic disease on CT scan, MRI, or bone scan (no positron-emission tomography or prostascint)
* Evidence of progressive disease after most recent prior therapy (including hormonal therapy) as defined by 1 of the following:

  * Measurable disease progression

    * More than 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameters of target lesions from the time of maximal regression or the appearance of 1 or more new lesions
  * Bone scan progression

    * Appearance of 1 or more new lesions on bone scan attributable to prostate cancer AND
    * PSA at least 5 ng/mL
  * PSA progression

    * PSA at least 5 ng/mL which has increased serially from baseline on 2 occasions (at least 1 week apart) NOTE: If the confirmatory PSA is less than screening PSA, an additional test for rising PSA is required

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

* 18 and over

Performance status

* ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

* Not specified

Hematopoietic

* Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3

Hepatic

* AST and ALT no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Bilirubin no greater than ULN

Renal

* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN

Cardiovascular

* No myocardial infarction within the past year
* No significant change in anginal pattern within the past year
* No congestive heart failure
* No New York Heart Association class II-IV heart disease
* No deep vein thrombosis within the past year

Pulmonary

* No pulmonary embolus within the past year

Other

* No clinically significant peripheral neuropathy
* No known hypersensitivity to sulindac
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* Not specified

Chemotherapy

* No prior cytotoxic chemotherapy (including estramustine or suramin)
* No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior flutamide and megestrol
* At least 6 weeks since prior bicalutamide and nilutamide
* At least 4 weeks since prior hormonal therapy known to decrease PSA levels (including ketoconazole, aminoglutethimide, finasteride, or any systemic corticosteroid)
* Concurrent primary testicular androgen suppression therapy (e.g., with a LHRH analog) allowed
* No other concurrent hormonal therapy except:

  * Steroids for adrenal insufficiency
  * Hormones for non-disease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes)
  * Intermittent dexamethasone as an antiemetic

Radiotherapy

* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
* At least 8 weeks since prior strontium chloride Sr 89 or samarium Sm 153 lexidronam pentasodium
* No concurrent palliative radiotherapy

Surgery

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

Other

* At least 4 weeks since prior herbal product known to decrease PSA levels (including saw palmetto, PC-SPES)
* More than 1 week since prior sulindac
* No concurrent sulindac
* No concurrent chronic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (including COX-2 inhibitors and salicylates such as aspirin, mesalamine, salsalate, and sulfasalazine)

  * Concurrent ibuprofen and naproxen allowed
  * Low-dose aspirin (e.g., 81 mg/day) for cardiovascular prevention allowed
* No concurrent full-dose oral or parenteral anticoagulation therapy
* Concurrent bisphosphonate therapy allowed provided therapy was initiated at least 4 weeks before study and disease has progressed despite therapy