Docetaxel, Estramustine, and Thalidomide in Treating Patients With Prostate Cancer Previously Treated With Hormone Therapy

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate
• Prior treatment with androgen ablation including:
• * Orchiectomy OR
• * Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) therapy (e.g., leuprolide)
• * Patients on leuprolide must continue to receive the drug
• Prior nonsteroidal antiandrogens (e.g., flutamide, bicalutamide, or nilutamide) required
• Metastatic disease with disease progression during androgen ablation, defined by at least 1 of the following:
• * 2 consecutive increased prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels measured at least 1 week apart
• * More than 25% increase in bidimensionally measurable soft tissue metastases
• * 20% increase in the sum of the baseline sum of longest diameter of measurable lesions
• * Appearance of new lesions
• * Appearance of new foci on a radionuclide bone scan
• PSA greater than 10 ng/dL
• Testosterone no greater than 50 ng/mL (castrate level)
• No CNS metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• Over 18
• Performance status:
• Karnofsky 70-100%
• Life expectancy:
• More than 16 weeks
• Hematopoietic:
• WBC greater than 3,500/mm3
• Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1,500/mm3
• Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3
• Hemoglobin at least 8 g/dL
• Hepatic:
• AST and/or ALT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) if alkaline phosphatase no greater than ULN OR
• Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 4 times ULN if AST/ALT no greater than ULN
• Bilirubin no greater than ULN
• Renal:
• Creatinine less than 2.2 mg/dL
• Cardiovascular:
• No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
• No history of arterial or venous thrombosis
• No cerebrovascular accident within the past year
• Pulmonary:
• No history of pulmonary embolism
• Other:
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 4 weeks after study
• No peripheral neuropathy grade 2 or greater
• No active infection
• No serious concurrent medical illness that would preclude study
• No prior severe hypersensitivity reaction to docetaxel or other drugs formulated with polysorbate 80
• No other prior or concurrent active malignancy within the past 2 years except non-melanoma skin cancers
• No other medical condition or reason that would preclude study
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy:
• No prior chemotherapy for prostate cancer
• Endocrine therapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior flutamide (6 weeks for bicalutamide or nilutamide) and continued evidence of disease progression (rising PSA)
• Prior steroids for prostate cancer allowed
• No concurrent steroids except for pre-medication for docetaxel
• Radiotherapy:
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Other:
• No concurrent herbal supplements to treat prostate cancer