Docetaxel, Estramustine, and Exisulind in Treating Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer That Has Not Responded to Hormone Therapy

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate
• * Progressive systemic (metastatic) disease despite castrate levels of testosterone secondary to orchiectomy or luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist therapy
• * Castrate levels of testosterone must be maintained
• * LHRH analog therapy should be continued
• * Failed prior standard androgen-deprivation therapy
• * Serum testosterone no greater than 50 ng/mL for patients who have not had bilateral orchiectomy
• Evidence of metastatic disease on CT scan, MRI, or bone scan (no positron-emission tomography or prostascint)
• Evidence of progressive disease after most recent prior therapy (including hormonal therapy) as defined by 1 of the following:
• * Measurable disease progression
• * More than 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameters of target lesions from the time of maximal regression or the appearance of 1 or more new lesions
• * Bone scan progression
• * Appearance of 1 or more new lesions on bone scan attributable to prostate cancer AND
• * PSA at least 5 ng/mL
• * PSA progression
• * PSA at least 5 ng/mL which has increased serially from baseline on 2 occasions (at least 1 week apart) NOTE: If the confirmatory PSA is less than screening PSA, an additional test for rising PSA is required
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic
• Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic
• AST and ALT no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Bilirubin no greater than ULN
• Renal
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• Cardiovascular
• No myocardial infarction within the past year
• No significant change in anginal pattern within the past year
• No congestive heart failure
• No New York Heart Association class II-IV heart disease
• No deep vein thrombosis within the past year
• Pulmonary
• No pulmonary embolus within the past year
• Other
• No clinically significant peripheral neuropathy
• No known hypersensitivity to sulindac
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy
• No prior cytotoxic chemotherapy (including estramustine or suramin)
• No other concurrent chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior flutamide and megestrol
• At least 6 weeks since prior bicalutamide and nilutamide
• At least 4 weeks since prior hormonal therapy known to decrease PSA levels (including ketoconazole, aminoglutethimide, finasteride, or any systemic corticosteroid)
• Concurrent primary testicular androgen suppression therapy (e.g., with a LHRH analog) allowed
• No other concurrent hormonal therapy except:
• * Steroids for adrenal insufficiency
• * Hormones for non-disease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes)
• * Intermittent dexamethasone as an antiemetic
• Radiotherapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• At least 8 weeks since prior strontium chloride Sr 89 or samarium Sm 153 lexidronam pentasodium
• No concurrent palliative radiotherapy
• Surgery
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery and recovered
• Other
• At least 4 weeks since prior herbal product known to decrease PSA levels (including saw palmetto, PC-SPES)
• More than 1 week since prior sulindac
• No concurrent sulindac
• No concurrent chronic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (including COX-2 inhibitors and salicylates such as aspirin, mesalamine, salsalate, and sulfasalazine)
• * Concurrent ibuprofen and naproxen allowed
• * Low-dose aspirin (e.g., 81 mg/day) for cardiovascular prevention allowed
• No concurrent full-dose oral or parenteral anticoagulation therapy
• Concurrent bisphosphonate therapy allowed provided therapy was initiated at least 4 weeks before study and disease has progressed despite therapy