Hormone Therapy and Docetaxel or Hormone Therapy Alone in Treating Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed prostate adenocarcinoma Metastatic disease Measurable or evaluable disease No brain metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age 18 and over Performance status ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy At least 3 months Hematopoietic WBC ≥ 2,000/mm^3 Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,000/mm^3 Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3 Hepatic Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (2.5 times normal if hepatic metastases are present) AST and ALT ≤ 1.5 times ULN (2.5 times normal if hepatic metastases are present) Renal Creatinine ≤ 150 μmol/L Cardiovascular No symptomatic coronary disease No congenital cardiac insufficiency No New York Heart Association class III or IV cardiovascular disease No other severe cardiovascular disease Other No severe peripheral neuropathy No active infection No other malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell skin cancer No familial, social, geographical, or psychological situation that would preclude study compliance and follow-up No other serious disease that would preclude study participation PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy Not specified Chemotherapy No prior chemotherapy for metastatic prostate cancer Prior chemotherapy allowed provided all of the following are true: Chemotherapy was completed > 1 year ago Prostate-specific antigen level has remained stable No development of metastases within 1 year after completion of chemotherapy Endocrine therapy Prior hormonal therapy within the past 2 months allowed for metastatic prostate cancer Radiotherapy More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy to metastatic sites Surgery No prior surgical castration Other No other concurrent investigational drugs