S0421, Docetaxel and Prednisone With or Without Atrasentan in Treating Patients With Stage IV Prostate Cancer and Bone Metastases That Did Not Respond to Previous Hormone Therapy

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate * Stage IV disease (any T, any N, M1b) * Evidence of bone metastases by bone scan or MRI * Measurable or nonmeasurable disease * Soft tissue disease that has been irradiated within the past 2 months is not assessable as measurable disease * Hormone-refractory disease despite androgen deprivation and antiandrogen withdrawal, as defined by 1 of the following criteria: * Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression, defined as 3 consecutive rising PSA levels\* taken ≥ 1 week apart * PSA ≥ 5 ng/mL NOTE: \*If the third confirmatory PSA level is \< the second level, the patient is considered eligible provided a fourth PSA level is \> the second level * Progression of measurable disease * Progression of nonmeasurable disease by bone scan * Must have undergone surgical or medical (e.g., luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone \[LHRH\] agonist \[e.g., leuprolide or goserelin\] or LHRH antagonist therapy) castration * Patients who have undergone medical castration must continue LHRH agonist or antagonist therapy during study treatment * Must have completed 12 courses of blinding protocol treatment (atrasentan/placebo) AND stopped docetaxel for any reason (including completion of 12 courses) other than progressive disease * No symptomatic pleural effusion * No third space fluid accumulation (e.g., ascites) * No prior or concurrent brain metastases * Patients with clinical evidence of brain metastases must have a negative brain CT scan or MRI within the past 8 weeks PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * Zubrod 0-3\* NOTE: For a performance status of 3, the cause must be due to pain secondary to bone metastases Life expectancy * Not specified Hematopoietic * Not specified Hepatic * Not specified Renal * Not specified Other * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * Able to take oral medication without crushing, dissolving, or chewing tablets * No major infection * No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or stage I or II cancer in complete remission * No symptomatic sensory neuropathy ≥ grade 2 * No history of hypersensitivity reaction to docetaxel or other drugs formulated with polysorbate 80 * No other significant, active medical illness that would preclude study treatment or survival PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * No more than 1 prior systemic vaccine or biologic therapy * At least 4 weeks since prior vaccine or biologic therapy and recovered * No concurrent biological response modifiers * No concurrent prophylactic colony-stimulating factors Chemotherapy * More than 2 years since prior adjuvant therapy with a single non-taxane-containing cytotoxic regimen * No prior cytotoxic chemotherapy for metastatic prostate cancer * No other concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy * See Disease Characteristics * At least 6 weeks since prior bicalutamide or nilutamide AND has subsequent disease progression * At least 4 weeks since prior flutamide or ketoconazole AND has subsequent disease progression * Prior or concurrent megestrol for treatment of hot flashes allowed * No other concurrent corticosteroid or hormonal therapy unless continuing luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone treatment and/or bisphosphonate therapy Radiotherapy * See Disease Characteristics * Prior samarium allowed * At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered * No prior radiotherapy to ≥ 30% of the bone marrow * No prior strontium * No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery * See Disease Characteristics * At least 3 weeks since prior surgery and recovered Other * More than 4 weeks since prior investigational drugs * Concurrent bisphosphonates allowed provided therapy is started prior to study entry, dose is maintained during the first 12 weeks of study treatment, and patient meets criteria for disease progression * No initiation of bisphosphonates during the first 12 weeks of study treatment * No concurrent herbal medications or food supplements (e.g., PC-SPES, saw palmetto, Hypericum perforatum \[St. John's wort\]) * Concurrent daily vitamins and calcium supplements allowed * At least 14 days since prior and no concurrent administration of any of the following: * Antibiotics (e.g., clarithromycin, erythromycin, troleandomycin, rifampin, rifabutin, and rifapentine) * Antifungals (e.g., itraconazole, ketoconazole, fluconazole \[doses \> 200 mg/day\], and voriconazole) * Antidepressants (e.g., nefazodone and fluvoxamine) * Calcium channel blockers (e.g., verapamil, diltiazem) * Miscellaneous (e.g., amiodarone \[no use within 6 months prior to study entry\], grapefruit juice, bitter orange, or modafinil) * Anticonvulsants (e.g., phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and oxcarbazepine) * Antibiotics (e.g., rifampin, rifabutin, and rifapentine)