Clinical Trials

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Carcinoma of the prostate with pathologic stage T3 N0 or pT2 pN0 with positive inked resection margin at least 12 weeks prior to study entry
• Radical prostatectomy (retropubic or perineal) and pelvic lymphadenectomy (open or laparoscopic) required at least 16 weeks prior to entry
  • No persistent urinary extravasation after surgery
• Suitable for radiotherapy and hormonal therapy as determined by the radiation oncologist and urologist
• No metastasis by post-prostatectomy radioisotope bone scan within 16 weeks prior to entry
• Pathologic stage T2 without positive margins and pathologic N0 with prostatic fossa/anastamosis biopsy at the time of rising PSA documenting recurrent cancer allowed
• PSA 0.2-4.0 ng/mL at study entry
• No distant metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Age: Any age
• Performance status: Karnofsky 80-100%
• Life expectancy: More than 10 years
• Hematopoietic:
  • White blood cell count (WBC) at least 4,000/mm^3
  • Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3
  • Hematocrit at least 36%
  • Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL
• Hepatic:
  • Bilirubin normal
  • Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) no greater than 2.5 times normal
• Renal: Creatinine no greater than 2 times normal
• Other: No other malignancy within the past 5 years except basal or squamous cell skin cancer or adequately treated invasive cancers

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• Biologic therapy: No prior biologic therapy for prostate cancer
• Chemotherapy: No prior chemotherapy for prostate cancer
• Endocrine therapy:
  • No prior adjuvant hormonal therapy
  • Prior neoadjuvant hormonal therapy allowed
• Radiotherapy: No prior radiotherapy for prostate cancer
• Surgery: See Disease Characteristics