Inclusion Criteria

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