RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of doxorubicin plus estramustine in treating patients with metastatic recurrent prostate cancer that does not respond to hormone therapy.
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DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Biopsy proven metastatic prostate cancer Biopsy requirement waived at principal investigator's discretion if new disease site technically inaccessible and PSA elevated Recurrent disease following orchiectomy, estrogen, or gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist therapy If previously irradiated: Progressive disease outside prior radiotherapy field required No brain metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: Not specified Hematopoietic: Not specified Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL ALT/AST less than 3 times greater than normal Renal: Not specified Cardiovascular: Left ventricular ejection fraction at least 45% No NYHA class III/IV status No unstable angina Other: No Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or other inflammatory bowel syndrome PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: No prior doxorubicin or estramustine Endocrine therapy: See Disease Characteristics At least 30 days since flutamide Estrogen or gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists discontinued prior to treatment Radiotherapy: At least 6 weeks since radiotherapy Surgery: Not specified