Dexamethasone, Aspirin, and Diethylstilbestrol in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Prostate Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the prostate

  * Elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA)
* Failed previous treatments, including gonadatropan regulatory hormone analogue therapy, radiotherapy, surgery, or any combination of these
* Biochemically castrate (testosterone \< 1 nmol/L) at baseline

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Life expectancy ≥ 3 months
* ECOG performance status 0-3
* WBC ≥ 3,000/mm\^3
* Absolute neutrophil count (neutrophils and bands) ≥ 2,000/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 50,000/mm\^3
* Bilirubin ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* AST or ALT ≤ 3 times ULN
* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* Able to swallow tablets
* No other malignancy within the past 3 years except basal cell skin cancer
* No previous thromboembolic disease, including stroke, venous or arterial thrombosis, and myocardial infarction with ongoing angina pectoris

  * Prior uncomplicated myocardial infarction allowed
* No diabetes mellitus if treatment titration is thought to be difficult or inappropriate
* No active gastric or duodenal ulcer

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* Prior concurrent bisphosphonates allowed
* No concurrent investigational agents or participation in another investigational drug study
* No other concurrent antineoplastic therapy, including new estrogen therapy, radiation therapy, or PC-SPES
* No other concurrent corticosteroids (e.g., dexamethasone for nausea or vomiting) except those prescribed in the study regimen