Paclitaxel and Bryostatin 1 in Treating Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate that failed first- or second-line hormonal therapy (e.g., gonadal androgen suppression \[orchiectomy or luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone\] with or without antiandrogens)
• * Failure on hormonal therapy is defined by 1 of the following criteria:
• * Biochemical progression (after withdrawal of antiandrogens), documented by 3 rising PSA values, each value measured at least 2 weeks apart, with the last measurement being at least 25% of the nadir achieved while on hormonal therapy and with an increase in the absolute value by at least 5 ng/mL
• * Measurable disease progression, defined by an increase in the sum of the products of the perpendicular diameters of any measurable lesion(s) by at least 25%
• Bone only progression allowed only with concurrent biochemical progression
• Castrate levels of testosterone (no greater than 50 ng/dL)
• No clinical signs/symptoms suggesting CNS metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• ECOG 0-1
• Life expectancy
• More than 6 months
• Hematopoietic
• WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
• Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST/ALT no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• Renal
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• Calcium no greater than ULN
• Cardiovascular
• No uncontrolled or severe cardiovascular disease
• No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• No congestive heart failure
• No angina pectoris
• No active thromboembolic events within the past 3 months (e.g., deep venous thrombosis or cerebrovascular accident)
• Other
• No other serious medical or psychiatric illness
• No active infection
• No dementia or significantly altered mental status
• No prior or concurrent grade 1 or greater peripheral neuropathy
• No other prior or concurrent malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated nonmelanoma skin cancer
• HIV negative
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Chemotherapy
• No prior chemotherapy (including paclitaxel)
• Endocrine therapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior steroids or megestrol
• Radiotherapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy to bone lesions
• Other
• No other concurrent investigational therapy