GTI-2040, Docetaxel, and Prednisone in Treating Patients With Prostate Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Diagnosis of 1 of the following:
• * Histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate
• * Metastatic carcinoma of presumptive prostate origin
• * Bony metastases AND a serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level \> 20 ng/mL
• Disease progression after prior hormonal therapy as defined by rising PSA levels
• * At least 2 consecutive rises in PSA over a reference value, with measurements taken at least 7 days apart
• * Prior hormonal therapy must include either medical (luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone \[LHRH\] agonist) OR surgical (orchiectomy) castration
• * Patients who received prior LHRH agonist must continue or re-start such therapy
• Castrate levels of testosterone \< 50 ng/dL
• PSA ≥ 20 ng/mL
• No known brain metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• ECOG 0-2 OR
• Karnofsky 60-100%
• Life expectancy
• More than 3 months
• Hematopoietic
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• WBC ≥ 3,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic
• AST and ALT ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Bilirubin normal
• PTT ≤ 1.25 times upper limit of control
• INR ≤ 1.3
• Renal
• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN OR
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min
• Cardiovascular
• No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• No unstable angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmia
• Other
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No symptomatic peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2
• No history of allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to GTI-2040 or other study agents
• No concurrent uncontrolled illness
• No active or ongoing infection
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• No concurrent prophylactic filgrastim (G-CSF) or epoetin alfa
• Chemotherapy
• No prior chemotherapy except monotherapy with oral estramustine
• At least 4 weeks since prior estramustine and recovered
• Endocrine therapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 6 weeks since prior bicalutamide\*
• At least 4 weeks since prior flutamide, nilutamide, or cyproterone\*
• Concurrent steroids allowed NOTE: \*Patients must have evidence of disease progression despite cessation of antiandrogen therapy
• Radiotherapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• No prior radiotherapy to \> 25% of bone marrow
• No prior isotope therapy
• Surgery
• See Disease Characteristics
• Other
• No concurrent prophylactic antibiotics
• No concurrent anticoagulants
• * Concurrent low-dose warfarin for prophylaxis of central line thrombosis allowed
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
• No other concurrent investigational agents or therapies