PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: No concurrent immunotherapy Chemotherapy: At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered No concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: See Disease Characteristics If no prior surgical orchiectomy, must continue medical therapies to maintain castrate levels of testosterone Radiotherapy: At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery: See Disease Characteristics and Endocrine therapy No concurrent surgery Other: At least 4 weeks since other prior investigational anticancer therapeutic drugs and recovered No prior anthracycline or anthracenedione No concurrent investigational or unlicensed agents No other concurrent oncolytic agent