Inclusion Criteria:

1. Eligible patients had histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the
prostate with clinical or radiologic evidence of disease progression during hormonal
therapy

2. Patients were receiving primary androgen-ablation therapy as maintenance therapy. At
least four weeks had to have elapsed between the withdrawal of antiandrogens (six
weeks in the case of bicalutamide) and enroll ment, so as to avoid the possibility of
confounding as a result of the response to antiandrogen withdrawal.

3. Another requirement was disease progression, as indicated by increasing serum levels
of PSA on three consecutive measurements obtained at least one week apart or findings
on physical examination or imaging studies.

4. Normal cardiac function was required.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. patients had a Karnofsky performance-status score of at most 60 percent

2. prior treatment with cytotoxic agents or radioisotopes

3. with history of another cancer within the preceding five years, brain or
leptomeningeal metastases, symptomatic peripheral neuropathy of grade 2 or higher,
and other serious medical condition.