OBJECTIVES: Primary * Compare the activity of docetaxel with or without oblimersen, in terms of prostate-specific antigen response, in patients with hormone-refractory adenocarcinoma of the prostate. * Compare the toxicity of these regimens in these patients. Secondary * Compare the time to progression in patients treated with these regimens. * Compare survival of patients treated with these regimens. OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to participating center, metastatic disease (M0 vs M1 with non-measurable lesions only vs M1 with measurable lesions), prior estramustine (yes vs no), and prior bisphosphonates (yes vs no). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. * Arm I: Patients receive docetaxel IV over 1 hour on day 5 and oblimersen IV continuously on days 1-7. * Arm II: Patients receive docetaxel IV over 1 hour on day 1. In both arms, treatment repeats every 21 days for up to 12 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients are followed every 8 weeks until progressive disease and then every 16 weeks thereafter. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 102 patients (51 per treatment arm) will be accrued for this study.
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate * Hormone-refractory disease * Disease progression after prior hormonal therapy with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) analogues or orchiectomy and antiandrogens (given together or consecutively) * Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression documented by at least 2 increases in PSA values over previous PSA reference value * Must demonstrate continued PSA elevation for at least 6 weeks after discontinuation of antiandrogen therapy * PSA ≥ 5 ng/mL (Hybritech or equivalent) within the past week * Testosterone ≤ 0.5 ng/mL\* NOTE: \*Patients with medical castration with LH-RH analogue must continue with LH-RH analogue throughout the study * No evidence of painful and/or destructive bone metastases requiring concurrent radiotherapy, bisphosphonates, or bone-seeking radionuclides * Other bone metastases allowed * No clinical evidence of brain metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * WHO 0-2 Life expectancy * Not specified Hematopoietic * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 * WBC ≥ 3,500/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL Hepatic * AST and ALT ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Bilirubin ≤ ULN * PTT and PT ≤ 1.5 times ULN OR * INR ≤ 1.3 Renal * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN OR * Creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min Cardiovascular * No unstable angina * No uncontrolled hypertension * No deep venous thrombosis within the past 6 months * No cerebrovascular accident, transient ischemic attack, or myocardial infarction within the past 6 months Pulmonary * No pulmonary embolism * No history of interstitial pneumonitis * No history of pulmonary fibrosis Other * Adequate venous access * HIV negative * No active infection * No pre-existing neuropathy * No hypersensitivity to phosphorothioates * No hypersensitivity to oligonucleotides or any other component of the oblimersen formulation or to drugs formulated with polysorbate * No psychological, familial, sociological, or geographical condition that would preclude study compliance * No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated superficial urothelial or skin cancer PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * Not specified Chemotherapy * Prior estramustine allowed * No other prior chemotherapy * No concurrent estramustine Endocrine therapy * See Disease Characteristics * At least 6 weeks since prior flutamide, bicalutamide, or nilutamide * More than 6 weeks since prior hormonal manipulation with PC-SPES * Concurrent LH-RH agonist allowed * No concurrent antiandrogens Radiotherapy * See Disease Characteristics * No prior radiotherapy involving \> 25% of marrow-producing area * No prior bone-seeking radionuclides * No concurrent radiotherapy (including palliative therapy for painful bone metastases) * No concurrent bone-seeking radionuclides Surgery * See Disease Characteristics Other * Prior bisphosphonates allowed * No concurrent anticoagulation except for low-dose warfarin (1 mg/day) * No concurrent regular (daily) intake of opioid analgesics * No other concurrent experimental drugs or anticancer drugs * No concurrent bisphosphonates