Radiation Therapy and Ixabepilone in Treating Patients With High-Risk Stage III Prostate Cancer After Surgery

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as ixabepilone, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Ixabepilone may also make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Giving radiation therapy with chemotherapy after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of ixabepilone when given together with radiation therapy to see how well it works in treating patients with high-risk stage III prostate cancer after surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Primary * To determine the maximum-tolerated dose and dose-limiting toxicity of ixabepilone in combination with concurrent intensity-modulated radiation therapy in patients with high-risk prostate cancer after prostatectomy. (Phase I) * To determine the toxicity profile of this regimen in these patients. (Phase I) Secondary * To assess freedom from progression in patients treated with this regimen. (Phase II) * To assess biochemical failure, local failure, and distant failure in patients treated with this regimen. (Phase II) * To assess disease-specific survival and overall survival of patients treated with this regimen. (Phase II) * To evaluate acute and late toxicity of this regimen in these patients. OUTLINE: This is a phase I, dose-escalation study of ixabepilone followed by a phase II study. Patients undergo adjuvant intensity-modulated radiation therapy once daily, 5 days a week, for 7-9 weeks. Patients also receive concurrent ixabepilone IV over 1 hour on days 1 and 8. Treatment with ixabepilone repeats every 21 days for 3 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study therapy, patients are followed up every 3 months for 1 year, every 6 months for 3 years, and then annually for 6 years.