Docetaxel and Imatinib Mesylate in Treating Patients With Androgen-Independent Prostate Cancer and Bone Metastases That Progressed on the Docetaxel and Placebo Group of MDA-ID-030008

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy such as docetaxel work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Imatinib mesylate may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for their growth. Giving docetaxel with imatinib mesylate may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving docetaxel with imatinib mesylate works in treating patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer and bone metastases that progressed while receiving docetaxel and a placebo on clinical trial MDA-ID-030008.

OBJECTIVES: Primary * Provide treatment with docetaxel and imatinib mesylate for patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer and bone metastases that progressed while receiving docetaxel and placebo on MDA-ID-030008. Secondary * Determine the response rate and time to progression in these patients after crossover from docetaxel and placebo to docetaxel and imatinib mesylate. * Compare the modulation of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor pathway by docetaxel and imatinib mesylate vs docetaxel and placebo in the same patient. * Determine the quality of life of patients treated with this crossover regimen. OUTLINE: This is an open-label, crossover, multicenter, extension study. Patients who progressed on the placebo and docetaxel arm of MDA-ID-030008 crossover to receive docetaxel and imatinib mesylate. Patients receive docetaxel IV over 1 hour on days 1, 8, 15, and 22 and oral imatinib mesylate once daily on days 1-42. Courses repeat every 42 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Quality of life is assessed at baseline, before each therapy course, and at the completion of therapy. Patients are followed for 30 days. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A maximum of 72 patients will be accrued for this study within 9 months.