Docetaxel, Doxorubicin, and Prednisone in Treating Patients With Advanced Prostate Cancer That Has Not Responded to Hormone Therapy

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate with any of the following:

  * Prostate-specific antigen ≥ 10 mg/dL
  * Bone disease
  * Bidimensional soft tissue disease
  * Evaluable disease
* Advanced disease AND failed prior primary androgen ablation therapy, including anti-androgen withdrawal
* Disease not amenable to local curative treatment
* No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* ECOG performance status 0-1
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
* Creatinine \< 2.0 mg/dL
* SGPT and SGOT \< 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Bilirubin ≤ ULN
* Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL
* Ejection fraction ≥ 50%
* Peripheral neuropathy ≤ grade 1
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after completion of study treatment
* No previous history of or concurrent malignancy, except for any of the following:

  * Inactive nonmelanoma skin cancer
  * Disease-free for five or more years
  * Adequately treated stage I or II cancer from which patient is currently in complete remission
* No other serious medical illness that would limit survival to less than 3 months
* No psychiatric condition that would prevent informed consent
* No active, uncontrolled bacterial, viral, or fungal infection
* No hemorrhagic disorder
* No history of severe hypersensitivity reaction to other drugs formulated with polysorbate 80

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* No new hormonal treatment within the past 4 weeks
* No prior immunotherapy, chemotherapy, or bone-seeking radiopharmaceuticals (e.g., strontium chloride Sr 89 or samarium Sm 153 lexidronam pentasodium)
* Prior bisphosphonates allowed
* At least 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy
* No other concurrent chemotherapy