OUTLINE: Patients receive estramustine orally twice a day on days 1-3 of each week for 6 weeks. Patients also receive paclitaxel IV over 1 hour on day 2 of each week for 6 weeks. Courses repeat every 8 weeks in the absence of unacceptable toxicity and disease progression. Quality of life is assessed prior to treatment and at weeks 4, 8, 20, and 24. Patients are followed every 3 months for 2 years, every 6 months for years 2-5, and then annually thereafter.