Licorice Root Extract and Docetaxel in Treating Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer That Did Not Respond to Hormone Therapy

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Diagnosis of prostate adenocarcinoma
• * Metastatic disease
• Must have failed initial hormonal therapy and have disease progression after at least one chemotherapy regimen\*, meeting any of the following criteria:
• * Progressive PSA ≥ 5 ng/mL, as evidenced by 2 separate measurements taken ≥ 2 weeks apart with the second PSA measurement greater than the first one and PSA measurement at screening greater than the first one
• * Progressive measurable disease (e.g., changes in the size of lymph nodes or parenchymal masses or appearance of new lesions on physical examination or x-ray/CT scan) with a PSA level at screening ≥ 5 ng/mL
• * Progressive bone metastasis (e.g., presence of new lesions on a bone scan) with a PSA level at screening ≥ 5 ng/mL NOTE: \*Prior chemotherapy must include a taxane therapy, but disease progression does not have to follow taxane therapy
• Patients must maintain primary androgen ablation (hormonal) therapy AND experience disease progression while not receiving antiandrogen therapy
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• ECOG performance status 0-1
• Life expectancy ≥ 6 months
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• WBC ≥ 3,500/mm\^3
• Bilirubin ≤ 1.2 mg/dL
• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL
• SGOT or SGPT ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal
• No other prior malignancy unless treated with curative intent and free of disease for the time period considered appropriate for the specific cancer
• No uncontrolled hypertension
• No active infections
• No known HIV positivity
• No uncontrolled medical condition that would preclude study therapy
• No diagnosis of major depression or suicidal ideation
• No problems with oral absorption
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• See Disease Characteristics
• More than 4 weeks since prior surgery or radiotherapy and recovered
• At least 4 weeks since prior flutamide
• At least 6 weeks since prior bicalutamide
• No prior or concurrent herbal supplements or thiazide diuretics
• No other concurrent investigational or commercial agents or therapies