Docetaxel With or Without Imatinib Mesylate in Treating Patients With Androgen-Independent Prostate Cancer and Bone Metastases

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the prostate

Osseous metastases confirmed by radiography
Lytic bone lesions considered for biopsy if there is clinical suspicion of histologic conversion to small cell carcinoma
Failed prior hormonal therapy

Progressive disease, as evidenced by one of the following:

2 consecutive rises in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) of at least 1 ng/mL over 4 weeks
Increase of 25% of the product of bidimensional disease or 30% in maximum diameter
Increase in number of osseous metastases by bone scan
Worsening symptoms attributable to disease progression (e.g., worsening bony pain)
PSA ≥ 1 ng/mL

Castrate serum testosterone ≤ 50 ng/dL

Concurrent luteinizing-hormone releasing-hormone analog required for medically castrated patients
No small cell or sarcomatoid prostate cancers
No uncontrolled CNS metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

Any age

Performance status

Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) 0-2

Life expectancy

At least 3 months

Hematopoietic

Absolute granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic

Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL
Aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase (AST/ALT) ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal
No chronic liver disease

Renal

Creatinine clearance ≥ 40 mL/min

Cardiovascular

No New York Heart Association class III or IV congestive heart failure
No unstable angina
No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
No evidence of myocardial ischemia on electrocardiogram
No uncontrolled severe hypertension

Pulmonary

No oxygen-dependent lung disease

Other

HIV negative
No concurrent severe infection
No contraindication to corticosteroids
No uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
No grade 2 or greater peripheral neuropathy
No other malignancy within the past 2 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer
No overt psychosis, mental disability, or incompetency that would preclude giving informed consent
No history of noncompliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

No concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

No prior taxanes
No more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens
At least 30 days since prior chemotherapy and recovered
No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

See Disease Characteristics
At least 4 weeks since prior flutamide or nilutamide*
At least 6 weeks since prior bicalutamide* NOTE: *Unless there is evidence of interim disease progression

Radiotherapy

At least 90 days since prior strontium chloride Sr 89 or samarium Sm 153 lexidronam pentasodium and recovered
At least 30 days since other prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery

Fully recovered from prior surgery

Other

No concurrent ketoconazole
No concurrent warfarin