Androgen Ablation With or Without Docetaxel in Treating Patients With Advanced Prostate Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate * Meets one of the following criteria * Metastatic disease * Systemic progressive disease after locoregional therapy (surgery or radiotherapy) * No metastatic disease AND meets one of the following criteria: * Circulating PSA levels ≥ 50 ng/mL (confirmed by ≥ 2 subsequent evaluations) * Biochemical progression with a PSA doubling time \< 6 months (with ≥ 3 measurements taken 1 month apart) after primary locoregional treatment (radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy) with curative intent * Prostate-confined tumor with high-risk features whose therapy of choice is androgen deprivation * No symptomatic brain metastases or leptomeningeal disease PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * ECOG or Zubrod performance status 0-2 * Life expectancy ≥ 6 months * ANC ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL * Bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dL * AST/ALT ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL * No active infection requiring IV antibiotics * No active ulcer, unstable diabetes mellitus, or other contraindication to corticotherapy * None of the following cardiovascular conditions: * Uncompensated heart failure (ejection fraction \< 40%) * Myocardial infarction or revascularization procedure within the past 6 months * Unstable angina pectoris * Uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia * No other severe clinical condition that, in the judgment of the local investigator, would place the patient at undue risk or interfere with the study * Not a prisoner * No prior malignancy, except for non-melanoma skin cancer, in situ cervical carcinoma, or other cancer that was curatively treated with no evidence of disease for ≥ 5 years * No familial, social, or geographical condition or significant neurologic or psychiatric disorder that would preclude understanding or rendering informed consent or fully complying with study treatment and follow-up PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * At least 5 years since prior radiotherapy outside the prostate * Prior hormonal therapy allowed provided it was administered for ≤ 6 months * At least 12 months since prior hormonal therapy * More than 30 days since prior participation in another clinical trial involving investigational agents * No prior surgical castration * Concurrent androgen deprivation for prostate cancer allowed provided it was started ≤ 3 months prior to initiation of study treatment * Concurrent anticoagulant treatment allowed * No other concurrent investigational drugs