OUTLINE: Patients receive docetaxel IV over 15-30 minutes weekly for 6 weeks. Courses repeat every 8 weeks. Therapy continues in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Quality of life is assessed at weeks 1, 3, 5, and 7 of each course, and a daily pain medication diary is maintained during treatment. Patients are followed for 1 month or until resolution of toxicity, then every 3 months until death.