Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Prostate Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically confirmed diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the prostate within 180 days of randomization
• •* History/physical examination with digital rectal examination of the prostate within 60 days prior to registration
• •* Histological evaluation of prostate biopsy with assignment of a Gleason score to the biopsy material; Gleason scores 2-6 within 180 days of randomization
• •* Clinical stage T1-2a (AJCC 7th edition) within 90 days of randomization
• •* Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) \< 10 ng/mL within 60 days prior to registration;
• •* PSA should not be obtained within 10 days after prostate biopsy
• •No evidence of distant metastases
• •No regional lymph node involvement
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Zubrod performance status 0-1
• •Willingness and ability to complete the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) questionnaire
• •No prior or concurrent invasive malignancy (except non-melanomatous skin cancer) or lymphomatous/hematogenous malignancy unless continually disease-free for a minimum of 5 years (for example, carcinoma of the oral cavity is permissible; however, patients with prior history of bladder cancer are not allowed)
• •No severe, active co-morbidity, defined as follows:
• •* Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within the last 6 months
• •* Transmural myocardial infarction within the last 6 months
• •* Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring intravenous antibiotics at the time of registration
• •* Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation or other respiratory illness requiring hospitalization or precluding study therapy at the time of registration
• •* Hepatic insufficiency resulting in clinical jaundice and/or coagulation defects
• •* Laboratory tests for liver function and coagulation parameters are not required for entry into this protocol
• •* Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) based upon current Center for Disease Control (CDC) definition
• •* HIV testing is not required for entry into this protocol
• •* Protocol-specific requirements may also exclude immuno-compromised patients
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •No prior radical surgery (prostatectomy), cryosurgery, or high-intensity focused ultrasonography (HIFU) for prostate cancer
• •No prior pelvic irradiation, prostate brachytherapy, or bilateral orchiectomy
• •No prior hormonal therapy, such as luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists (e.g., goserelin, leuprolide) or LHRH antagonists (e.g., degarelix), anti-androgens (e.g., flutamide, bicalutamide), estrogens (e.g., diethylstilbestrol (DES)), or surgical castration (orchiectomy)
• •No finasteride within 30 days prior to registration
• •* Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) should not be obtained prior to 30 days after stopping finasteride
• •No dutasteride within 90 days prior to registration
• •* PSA should not be obtained prior to 90 days after stopping dutasteride
• •No prior or concurrent cytotoxic chemotherapy for prostate cancer
• •Patients on Coumadin or other blood-thinning agents are eligible for this study
• •No concurrent 3D-conformal radiation therapy