DHA-Paclitaxel in Treating Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate
• * Progressive metastatic disease on continuous hormonal therapy (e.g., orchiectomy or luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist)
• * Progressive disease is defined by all of the following:
• * Measurable disease or lesions on bone scan
• * Increases in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels on at least 2 consecutive measurements
• * Continued PSA elevation after cessation of prior antiandrogen therapy (4 weeks after flutamide and nilutamide and 8 weeks after bicalutamide)
• PSA level at least 5 ng/mL
• Serum testosterone level less than 50 ng/mL
• * Patients who have not undergone prior surgical castration should continue primary androgen suppression (LHRH agonist)
• No known or clinical evidence of CNS metastasis
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-1
• Life expectancy:
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic:
• Absolute neutrophil 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)
• SGOT or SGPT no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• Cardiovascular:
• No uncontrolled ventricular arrhythmia
• No myocardial infarction within the past 3 months
• No superior vena cava syndrome
• Neurologic:
• No peripheral neuropathy greater than grade 1
• No uncontrolled major seizure disorder
• No spinal cord compression
• Other:
• No psychiatric disorder that would preclude informed consent
• No unstable or serious concurrent medical condition
• No concurrent serious infection requiring parenteral therapy
• No other prior or concurrent malignancy except:
• * Curatively treated nonmelanoma skin cancer OR
• * Other cancer curatively treated with surgery alone that has not recurred for more than 5 years
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 6 months after study therapy
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• No concurrent immunotherapy
• Chemotherapy:
• No prior taxanes
• Prior mitoxantrone or prednisone for metastatic disease allowed
• At least 28 days since prior chemotherapy and recovered
• No other concurrent chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• No concurrent hormonal therapy
• Radiotherapy:
• No prior samarium SM 153 lexidronam pentasodium or strontium chloride Sr 89
• Prior external radiotherapy for metastatic disease allowed
• At least 28 days since prior large-field radiotherapy and recovered
• No concurrent radiotherapy, including whole-brain radiotherapy for documented CNS metastasis
• Surgery:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 14 days since prior major surgery and recovered
• Other:
• No other prior nonhormonal treatment for metastatic disease
• At least 28 days since prior herbal preparations (e.g., PC-SPES) and recovered
• No other concurrent anticancer medications