OBJECTIVES:
* Compare local recurrence rates, acute and late morbidity, overall survival, disease-free survival, and cancer-related survival of patients with pT3 pN0 adenocarcinoma of the prostate randomized following radical prostatectomy to postoperative conventional pelvic irradiation (60 Gy) vs no further treatment until relapse.
* Better define the selective pathologic indications for radiotherapy in patients with pT3 pN0 disease.
OUTLINE: This is a randomized study.
* Arm I: Patients undergo radiotherapy daily, 5 days a week, for 5 weeks, followed by boost radiotherapy for 1-1.4 weeks.
* Arm II: Patients are observed. Local relapse is treated with conventional pelvic radiotherapy.
Patients are followed every 3 months during the first postoperative year, every 6 months until the fifth year, and annually thereafter.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 1000 patients will be accrued for this study within 7.5 years.
