Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate

- Stage IV disease

- Radiographic evidence of regional or distant metastases

- Evidence of disease progression (by PSA and/or imaging studies) despite standard
hormonal therapy and after exposure to docetaxel-containing chemotherapy, as
evidenced by any of the following:

- Measurable or evaluable disease progression, defined as the appearance of new
lesion(s) or unequivocal increase in previously existing lesions or masses

- Disease progression by PSA*, defined by 1 of the following:

- 3 consecutively rising PSA with the second PSA taken ≥ 1 week after the
first PSA

- 2 consecutively rising PSA with a fourth PSA > the second PSA NOTE: *The
last required PSA must be after the required antiandrogen washout period
for patients who have been on antiandrogen therapy

- Must have received prior therapy with at least two 3-weekly doses or six weekly doses
of docetaxel

- Patients may have discontinued therapy due to progression, intolerance,
completion of planned therapy, or other reasons

- Prior treatment with combinations of docetaxel with estramustine phosphate
sodium or noncytotoxic agents (biologic agents) allowed

- Serum testosterone < 50 ng/dL (unless surgically castrate)

- Patients must continue androgen deprivation with a luteinizing hormone-releasing
hormone agonist if they have not undergone orchiectomy

- No known or suspected brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

- ECOG performance status 0-2

- Life expectancy > 3 months

- Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³

- Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³

- Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

- Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN

- AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN

- No other active malignancy except adequately treated nonmelanoma skin cancer or other
noninvasive or in situ neoplasm

- No other significant active medical illness or infection that would preclude study
compliance

- No significant cardiovascular illness, including any of the following:

- NYHA class III or IV congestive heart failure

- Unstable angina

- Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months

- Acute deep venous thrombosis

- Acute pulmonary embolism

- No significant peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- See Disease Characteristics

- At least 6 weeks since prior antiandrogen therapy (4 weeks for flutamide)

- No current evidence of an antiandrogen withdrawal response

- More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy

- More than 8 weeks since prior radiopharmaceutical therapy (strontium chloride Sr 89,
samarium Sm 153 lexidronam pentasodium)

- No prior paclitaxel

- No other concurrent cytotoxic agents

- No other concurrent chemotherapy or biologic response modifiers

- No concurrent supplements known or suspected to contain supplemental estrogens