Docetaxel With or Without Imatinib Mesylate in Treating Patients With Androgen-Independent Prostate Cancer and Bone Metastases

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the prostate
• * Osseous metastases confirmed by radiography
• * Lytic bone lesions considered for biopsy if there is clinical suspicion of histologic conversion to small cell carcinoma
• Failed prior hormonal therapy
• Progressive disease, as evidenced by one of the following:
• * 2 consecutive rises in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) of at least 1 ng/mL over 4 weeks
• * Increase of 25% of the product of bidimensional disease or 30% in maximum diameter
• * Increase in number of osseous metastases by bone scan
• * Worsening symptoms attributable to disease progression (e.g., worsening bony pain)
• PSA ≥ 1 ng/mL
• Castrate serum testosterone ≤ 50 ng/dL
• * Concurrent luteinizing-hormone releasing-hormone analog required for medically castrated patients
• No small cell or sarcomatoid prostate cancers
• No uncontrolled CNS metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• Any age
• Performance status
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) 0-2
• Life expectancy
• At least 3 months
• Hematopoietic
• Absolute granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL
• Aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase (AST/ALT) ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal
• No chronic liver disease
• Renal
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 40 mL/min
• Cardiovascular
• No New York Heart Association class III or IV congestive heart failure
• No unstable angina
• No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• No evidence of myocardial ischemia on electrocardiogram
• No uncontrolled severe hypertension
• Pulmonary
• No oxygen-dependent lung disease
• Other
• HIV negative
• No concurrent severe infection
• No contraindication to corticosteroids
• No uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
• No grade 2 or greater peripheral neuropathy
• No other malignancy within the past 2 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer
• No overt psychosis, mental disability, or incompetency that would preclude giving informed consent
• No history of noncompliance
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• No concurrent immunotherapy
• Chemotherapy
• No prior taxanes
• No more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens
• At least 30 days since prior chemotherapy and recovered
• No other concurrent chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior flutamide or nilutamide\*
• At least 6 weeks since prior bicalutamide\* NOTE: \*Unless there is evidence of interim disease progression
• Radiotherapy
• At least 90 days since prior strontium chloride Sr 89 or samarium Sm 153 lexidronam pentasodium and recovered
• At least 30 days since other prior radiotherapy and recovered
• Surgery
• Fully recovered from prior surgery
• Other
• No concurrent ketoconazole
• No concurrent warfarin