Zolendronate for the Prevention of Bone Loss in Men w/ Prostate CA on Long-Term Androgen Deprivation

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed prostate cancer
• * Stage III or IV disease
• Received at least 3 months of prior androgen deprivation therapy (no maximum amount/time) by either surgical or medical castration
• * Medical castration may be by intermittent or continuous androgen suppression via single- or combined-drug androgen blockade
• Continued concurrent androgen deprivation therapy required throughout study participation
• No bone metastases by baseline bone scan
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy
• At least 1 year
• Hematopoietic
• Not specified
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin less than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST and ALT less than 3 times ULN
• No chronic liver disease
• Renal
• Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• Other
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No Paget's disease
• No Cushing's disease
• No hyperthyroidism
• No hyperprolactinemia
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy
• Prior chemotherapy for prostate cancer allowed
• Endocrine therapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• More than 12 months since prior suppressive doses of thyroxine or calcitonin
• More than 6 months since prior corticosteroids
• Concurrent corticosteroids allowed (after enrollment on study)
• Radiotherapy
• Prior radiotherapy for prostate cancer allowed
• Surgery
• See Disease Characteristics
• Other
• More than 12 months since prior bisphosphonate therapy (oral or IV)