Connecting Men, Families, Doctors, and other Medical Professionals to Clinical Trials for Prostate Cancer

        DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

          -  Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate diagnosed within the past 6
             months and at intermediate-risk for recurrence by meeting >= 1 of the following
             criteria:

               -  Gleason score > 7

               -  PSA > 10 and <= 20 ng/mL

                    -  Baseline serum PSA value performed within 60 days with an FDA-approved
                       assay (e.g., Abbott, Hybritech)

                    -  Baseline PSA must not be obtained during any of the following time
                       frames:10-day period after prostate biopsy, after initiation of
                       androgen-deprivation therapy, or within the past 30 days after
                       discontinuation of finasteride (90 days for dutasteride)

               -  Clinical stage T2b or T2c disease

               -  Patients previously diagnosed with low-risk (Gleason score < 6, clinical stage <
                  T2a, and PSA < 10 ng/mL) prostate cancer undergoing active surveillance who are
                  re-biopsied and found to have intermediate-risk disease according to the
                  protocol criteria are eligible for enrollment within 6 months of the repeat
                  biopsy procedure

          -  Patients with Gleason Score >= 8, PSA > 20 ng/mL, OR clinical stage >= T3 are
             ineligible for this trial

               -  If findings of extracapsular extension or seminal vesicle invasion are noted on
                  prostate MRI, this study, if used, will not render patients ineligible for
                  accrual to this protocol

               -  Primary tumor staging for eligibility purposes is to be based on palpable or
                  core biopsy evidence only with respect to extracapsular extension or seminal
                  vesicle involvement

          -  No patients with all 3 intermediate-risk factors who also have >= 50% of the number of
             their biopsy cores positive for cancer

               -  The percentage of biopsy cores involved will only be considered with respect to
                  eligibility for those patients with all 3 of the above risk factors (i.e.,
                  patients with one or two of the above risk factors are eligible irrespective of
                  the percentage of biopsy cores involved)

          -  Clinically negative lymph nodes as established by imaging (pelvic and/or abdominal CT
             scan or MRI), nodal sampling, or dissection within the past 60 days (required for
             patients with 2-3 risk factors)

               -  Abdominal imaging not required for a single intermediate-risk factor (these
                  studies may be obtained at the discretion of the treating physician)

               -  Lymph nodes that are equivocal or questionable by imaging allowed without biopsy
                  if nodes <= 1.5 cm

               -  Any node > 1.5 cm on imaging requires a negative biopsy

          -  No evidence of bone metastases on bone scan within the past 60 days

               -  Bone scan not required for patients with a single intermediate-risk factor (scan
                  may be obtained at the discretion of the treating physician)

               -  Equivocal bone scan findings allowed if plain film x-rays negative for
                  metastasis

        PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

          -  Zubrod performance status 0-1

          -  ANC >= 1,800/mm^3*

          -  Platelet count >= 100,000/mm^3*

          -  Hemoglobin >= 8.0 g/dL (transfusion or other intervention to achieve level allowed)*

          -  NOTE: *For patients undergoing brachytherapy only.

          -  Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for the 3 months after
             cessation of protocol treatment

          -  No invasive malignancy or hematological malignancy (e.g., leukemia, lymphoma,
             myeloma) within the past 5 years except adequately treated non-melanomatous skin
             cancer

               -  Prior diagnoses of carcinoma in situ allowed

          -  No severe or active co-morbidity with any of the following:

               -  Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within
                  the past 6 months

               -  Transmural myocardial infarction within the past 6 months

               -  Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring intravenous antibiotics

               -  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation or other respiratory illness
                  requiring hospitalization or precluding study therapy, within the past 30 days

               -  Hepatic insufficiency resulting in clinical jaundice and/or coagulation defects

                    -  Laboratory tests for liver function and coagulation parameters not required
                       for entry into this protocol

               -  AIDS based upon current CDC definition

                    -  HIV testing not required for entry into this protocol

                    -  HIV-seropositive patients who do not meet criteria for diagnosis of AIDS
                       allowed

        PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

          -  See Disease Characteristics

          -  No prior radical surgery (prostatectomy), high-intensity focused ultrasound, or
             cryosurgery for prostate cancer

          -  No prior hormonal therapy, such as LHRH agonists (e.g., goserelin, leuprolide),
             antiandrogens (e.g., flutamide, bicalutamide), estrogens (e.g., DES), or bilateral
             orchiectomy

          -  No finasteride within past 30 days (90 days for dutasteride)

          -  No prior or concurrent cytotoxic chemotherapy for prostate cancer

               -  Prior chemotherapy for a different cancer allowed

          -  No prior radiotherapy (RT), including brachytherapy, to the region of the study
             cancer that would result in overlap of RT fields

               -  Patients undergoing brachytherapy must have transrectal ultrasound confirmation
                  of prostate volume < 60 cc, AUA score <= 15 within the past 60 days of
                  registration, and no history of prior transurethral resection of the prostate
                  (TURP)

               -  TURP allowed for patients who receive external-beam radiation therapy only