Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid in Treating Patients With Nonmetastatic Relapsed Prostate Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed prostate cancer, meeting 1 of the following criteria:

Androgen-dependent disease (testosterone ≥ 250 ng/mL)
Androgen-independent disease (testosterone < 50 ng/mL)

Received prior definitive therapy for primary prostate cancer comprising any of the following:

External-beam radiotherapy with or without hormonal therapy
Brachytherapy with or without pelvic external-beam radiotherapy or hormonal therapy
Radical prostatectomy with or without adjuvant or salvage radiotherapy
Cryotherapy

Must have evidence of disease progression, as evidenced by elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) that has risen serially from post-definitive therapy nadir on 2 determinations taken ≥ 1 week apart

Elevated PSA, meeting 1 of the following criteria:

At least 1.0 ng/mL post radiotherapy or cryotherapy
At least 4 ng/mL post radical prostatectomy
Must show disease progression after discontinuation of the antiandrogen (for patients with androgen-dependent disease receiving antiandrogen as part of primary androgen ablation)
No metastatic disease, confirmed by negative bone scan and negative CT scan or MRI of abdomen/pelvis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Karnofsky performance status 70-100%
Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³
Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL
Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN
AST ≤ 1.5 times ULN
No other medical condition that would interfere with study therapy or compliance
No other active malignancy except previously treated squamous cell or basal cell skin cancer or cancer that has been treated and considered to be at < 30% risk of relapse
Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

See Disease Characteristics
More than 8 weeks since prior strontium-chloride Sr 89
More than 4 weeks since first dose of bisphosphonates
More than 4 weeks since prior major surgery or radiotherapy

At least 4 weeks since prior hormonal agents, including megestrol or steroids

Concurrent luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogs allowed to maintain castrate levels of testosterone
At least 4 weeks since prior and no concurrent saw palmetto, finasteride, or any herbal agent intended to lower PSA

Prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant androgen-deprivation therapy allowed for androgen-dependent prostate cancer provided that all of the following are met:

No more than 8 months of androgen deprivation
At least 12 months since last day of effective androgen deprivation
Testosterone > 250 ng/mL at enrollment
Prior hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, or investigational therapy for biochemical relapse allowed
No concurrent chemotherapeutic, immunotherapeutic, or other investigational agents
No concurrent radiotherapy
No concurrent filgrastim (G-CSF) or sargramostim (GM-CSF)