Epirubicin and Docetaxel in Treating Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate
* Meets 1 of the following criteria:

  * Measurable disease with any prostate-specific antigen (PSA) value

    * Unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan
    * Histologic confirmation required if measurable disease is confined to a solitary lesion
  * Non-measurable disease with PSA ≥ 5 ng/mL\*

    * The following are considered non-measurable disease:

      * Bone lesions
      * Pleural or pericardial effusion
      * Ascites
      * CNS lesions
      * Leptomeningeal disease
      * Irradiated lesions unless disease progression was documented after prior radiotherapy NOTE: \*Patients with PSA ≥ 5 ng/mL only are not eligible
* Progressive systemic disease despite ≥ 1 prior standard endocrine therapy with orchiectomy, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist, or diethylstilbestrol, as indicated by 1 of the following criteria:

  * Objective evidence of increase \> 20% 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
  * One or more new lesions on bone scan secondary to prostate cancer AND PSA ≥ 5 ng/mL
  * Elevated PSA (≥ 5 ng/mL) with 2 consecutive increases from baseline (taken ≥ 1 week apart)
* Serum testosterone ≤ 50 ng/dL for patients without bilateral orchiectomy

  * Patients who have not had a bilateral orchiectomy should continue therapy with primary testicular androgen suppression (e.g., LHRH analogues)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

* 18 and over

Performance status

* ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

* Not specified

Hematopoietic

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

Hepatic

* Meets 1 of the following criteria:

  * AST or ALT normal AND alkaline phosphatase ≤ 5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
  * AST or ALT ≤ 1.5 times ULN AND alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
  * AST or ALT ≤ 5 times ULN AND alkaline phosphatase normal
* Bilirubin normal

Renal

* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN

Cardiovascular

* No uncontrolled high blood pressure
* No unstable angina
* No symptomatic congestive heart failure
* No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
* No serious uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia
* No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease

Other

* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 3 months after study participation
* No peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2
* No prior severe hypersensitivity reaction to docetaxel or other drug formulated with polysorbate 80

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* No concurrent filgrastim (G-CSF) or sargramostim (GM-CSF)

Chemotherapy

* No prior chemotherapy, including estramustine or suramin for prostate cancer
* No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior antiandrogen therapy
* No concurrent hormonal therapy except steroids for adrenal insufficiency, hormones for non-disease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes), or intermittent dexamethasone as an antiemetic

Radiotherapy

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