Docetaxel and Prednisone With/Out OGX-011 in Recurrent or Metastatic Prostate Cancer That Did Not Respond to Previous Hormone Therapy

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate Metastatic or locally recurrent disease Not curable with standard therapy Systemic chemotherapy is indicated, due to disease progression while receiving androgen-ablative therapy (i.e., hormone-refractory disease) Disease progression is defined as development of new metastatic lesions OR ≥ 2 consecutive rises in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) over a reference value Androgen ablative therapy must have included either medical or surgical castration Castrate level of testosterone (≤ 1.7 nmol/L) required if treated with medical androgen ablation Patients with documented disease progression while on peripheral antiandrogens must also have documented PSA progression after stopping antiandrogens PSA ≥ 5 ng/mL No known CNS metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Performance status ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy At least 12 weeks Hematopoietic Absolute granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm^3 Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3 No known bleeding disorder Hepatic PT and PTT or INR normal Bilirubin normal AST and ALT ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) Renal Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN Cardiovascular No significant cardiac dysfunction Other Fertile patients must use effective contraception No pre-existing peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2 No active, uncontrolled infection No significant neurological disorder that would preclude study compliance No history of other malignancies within the past 5 years except adequately treated nonmelanoma skin cancer PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Chemotherapy No prior chemotherapy except estramustine and recovered No other concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy See Disease Characteristics At least 4 weeks since prior antiandrogens (6 weeks for bicalutamide) Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist therapy must be continued* or restarted* during study treatment to maintain castrate levels of testosterone NOTE: *For patients receiving LHRH agonist therapy prior to study entry Radiotherapy At least 4 weeks since prior external beam radiotherapy except low-dose, nonmyelosuppressive radiotherapy Must have had less than 25% of marrow irradiated No prior strontium chloride Sr 89 No concurrent radiotherapy except low-dose, nonmyelosuppressive, palliative radiotherapy Surgery At least 2 weeks since prior major surgery Other At least 4 weeks since prior investigational agent At least 4 weeks since prior anticancer therapy No concurrent therapeutic anticoagulants except low-dose oral anticoagulants (i.e., 1 mg warfarin) or low molecular weight heparin No other concurrent investigational agents No other concurrent cytotoxic therapy