Calcitriol, Mitoxantrone, and Prednisone in Treating Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed prostate cancer
• * Androgen-independent disease, defined as disease progression while on standard hormonal management, including antiandrogen withdrawal
• * Patients must continue primary hormonal therapy during study treatment
• * Regional or distant metastases
• Prostate-specific antigen \> 5 ng/mL
• No brain metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 to 100
• Performance status
• ECOG 0-3
• Life expectancy
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic
• Adequate hematologic function
• Hepatic
• Adequate hepatic function
• Renal
• Adequate renal function
• No calcium-salt kidney stones within the past 5 years
• No hypercalcemia
• Cardiovascular
• Adequate cardiac function
• No significant cardiac disease
• No atrial fibrillation
• Other
• Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception during and for 2 months after completion of study treatment
• No other serious medical illness
• No other active malignancy except nonmelanoma skin cancer
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• More than 28 days since prior biologic therapy
• Chemotherapy
• No prior chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• Radiotherapy
• No prior strontium chloride Sr 89
• More than 28 days since prior radiotherapy
• More than 56 days since prior samarium Sm 153 lexidronam pentasodium
• Surgery
• Prior prostatectomy and/or orchiectomy allowed
• Other
• More than 28 days since prior investigational therapy