Radiation Therapy, Androgen Suppression, and Docetaxel in Treating Patients With High-Risk Prostate Cancer Who Have Undergone Radical Prostatectomy

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Pathologically proven adenocarcinoma of the prostate cancer meeting 1 of the following criteria:

  • Gleason ≥ 7and post-operative PSA nadir > 0.2 ng/ml with any pT classification
  • Gleason ≥ 8, post-operative PSA nadir ≤ 0.2 ng/ml and ≥ pT3a classification
• Must have undergone radical prostatectomy within the past year

• PSA ≤ 0.2 ng/mL at the time of study registration

  • PSA must be obtained within 6 weeks (42 days) prior to study registration

• No lymph node or distant metastases (N0, M0), based upon the following minimum diagnostic workup:

  • History and physical examination within 8 weeks prior to study registration
  • Bone scan and CT or MRI of the pelvis and no evidence of osseous metastases on bone scan within 16 weeks prior to study registration
• No pelvic lymph nodes > 1.5 cm in greatest dimension on CT scan or MRI of the pelvis within 16 weeks prior to study registration, unless the enlarged lymph node is biopsied and negative

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Zubrod performance status 0-1
• ANC ≥ 2,000/mm³
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
• Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL (transfusion or other intervention to achieve hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL is acceptable)
• ALT and AST ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
• Total bilirubin ≤ 1.2 times ULN
• No other invasive malignancy within the past 3 years except non-melanomatous skin cancer

• No active, severe co-morbidity, including any of the following:

  • Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within the past 6 months
  • Transmural myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
  • Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring intravenous antibiotics
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation or other respiratory illness requiring hospitalization or precluding study therapy

  • AIDS

    • HIV testing is not required for study entry
• No prior allergic reaction to the study drug(s)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• No prior systemic chemotherapy for prostate cancer
• More than 3 years since prior chemotherapy for a different cancer

• No prior androgen deprivation for treatment of prostate cancer

  • Prior use of hormonal agents, such as finasteride or dutaseride, for treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy is allowed
• No prior radiotherapy to the region of the prostate that would result in overlap of radiotherapy fields