Chemotherapy With or Without Biological Therapy in Treating Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer That Has Not Responded to Hormone Therapy

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate

Evidence of progressive metastatic disease (e.g., bone, pelvic mass, lymph node, liver or lung metastases)

Radiologic evidence of hydronephrosis only does not constitute evidence of metastatic disease
Must not have an elevated serum alkaline phosphatase or PSA level as only evidence of disease
If bone metastases only (i.e., lacking soft tissue disease), must have PSA level of at least 20 ng/mL
If soft tissue metastases and/or visceral disease, must have either bidimensionally measurable disease or PSA level of at least 20 ng/mL
Must have had prior bilateral orchiectomy or other primary hormonal therapy (e.g., estrogen therapy or LHRH blocker plus flutamide) with evidence of treatment failure
No carcinomatous meningitis or brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

18 and over

Performance status:

ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

Not specified

Hematopoietic:

WBC at least 4,000/mm^3
Granulocyte count at least 2,000/mm^3
Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

See Disease Characteristics
Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
SGOT/SGPT no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL OR
Creatinine clearance at least 50 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

No active angina pectoris
No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
No deep venous thrombosis
LVEF at least 50% by MUGA

Other:

Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 1 month after study
Prior malignancy allowed provided curatively treated and disease free for appropriate time period for specific cancer
No other serious medical illness or active infection that would preclude protocol therapy
No concurrent prolonged exposure to sunlight
No concurrent alcohol consumption

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

Not specified

Chemotherapy:

No prior chemotherapy, including neoadjuvant chemotherapy or single-agent estramustine

Endocrine therapy:

See Disease Characteristics
If no prior bilateral orchiectomy, must continue LHRH agonist therapy (e.g., depot leuprolide or goserelin)
At least 4 weeks since prior flutamide or flutamide with evidence of progressive disease
At least 6 weeks since prior bicalutamide with evidence of progressive disease

Radiotherapy:

More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
No prior strontium chloride Sr 89, samarium Sm 153 lexidronam pentasodium, or other radioisotope therapies

Surgery:

See Disease Characteristics

Other:

Recovered from all toxic effects due to prior treatment for prostate cancer
No concurrent milk, milk products, antacids, calcium-containing drugs, or any food with estramustine (arm I only)
No concurrent vitamin supplements containing vitamin A (arm II only)