Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Relapsed Prostate Cancer After Surgery

OBJECTIVES: * To determine the tumor control in patients with biochemically relapsed prostate cancer without macroscopic disease treated with dose-intensive salvage radiotherapy. * To determine the toxicity in these patients. * To determine the quality of life of these patients. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to Gleason score (≥ 8 vs 7 vs ≤ 6), pathological tumor classification (pT3b vs others), lymphadenectomy performed (yes \[pN0\] vs no \[cN0\]), persistent PSA after prostatectomy (detectable \[≥ 0.1 ng/mL\] vs undetectable \[\< 0.1 ng/mL\]), PSA at randomization (\> 0.5 ng/mL vs ≤ 0.5 ng/mL), participating center, and radiotherapy technique (3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy \[3D-CRT\] vs intensity-modulated radiation therapy \[IMRT\]/rotational techniques). Patient are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. * Arm A: Beginning at least 12 weeks after surgery, patients undergo radiotherapy\* once a day, 5 days a week, for 6.4 weeks for a total dose of 64 Gy (in 32 fractions of 2 Gy over 6.4 weeks). * Arm B: Patients undergo radiotherapy\* once a day, 5 days a week, for 7 weeks for a total dose of 70 Gy (in 35 fractions of 2 Gy over 7 weeks). NOTE: \*3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy, rotational techniques such as Tomotherapy®, Rapidarc®, or intensity-modulated arc technique and volumetric-modulated arc therapy are all eligible. Patients complete quality-of-life questionnaires at baseline and at 3, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months after completing study therapy. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed every 6 months for 3 years and then every 12 months for up to 10 years.