DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed high-risk adenocarcinoma of the prostate

  • Clinical stage D2 disease as evidenced by one of the following:

    • Visceral disease (liver, lung, or other viscera)
    • Bone metastases to sites in both the axial (spine, pelvis, ribs, or skull) and appendicular (claviculae, humeri, or femora) skeleton

• No prior or concurrent (treated or untreated) brain metastases

  • Patients with clinical evidence of brain metastasis must have a negative brain CT or MRI
• No evidence of untreated spinal cord compression

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• Over 18

Performance status:

• Zubrod 0-2

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3
• No active hypercoagulability

Hepatic:

• Not specified

Renal:

• Not specified

Cardiovascular:

• No transient ischemic attacks, stroke, or myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• No active coronary artery disease requiring antianginal therapy
• No active thrombophlebitis

Pulmonary:

• No history of pulmonary embolus

Other:

• No other prior malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or adequately treated stage I or II cancer currently in complete remission

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior biologic therapy and recovered
• No concurrent biologic therapy

Chemotherapy:

• No prior cytotoxic chemotherapy
• No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• Prior androgen-blockade therapy (e.g., luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist and antiandrogen therapy) allowed if administered for a duration of less than 30 days
• Prior neoadjuvant hormonal therapy allowed

Radiotherapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

• At least 4 weeks since prior surgery and recovered

Other:

• No concurrent bisphosphonates