Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage I, Stage II, or Stage III Prostate Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically proven adenocarcinoma of the prostate

  • Stage I (T1b or T1c, N0, M0)
  • Stage II (T2, N0, M0)
  • Stage III (T3, N0, M0)

• Poor prognosis (high risk of lymph node invasion) defined as meeting at least 1 of the following criteria:

  • Gleason score at least 7
  • Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) at least 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
  • T3 OR

• Good prognosis defined as meeting 1 of the following criteria:

  • T1b or T2
  • T1c with Gleason score less than 7 and PSA less than 3 times ULN
• No metastases by bone scans or chest x-ray

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 75 and under

Performance status:

• Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy:

• More than 10 years

Hematopoietic:

• Not specified

Hepatic:

• Not specified

Renal:

• Not specified

Other:

• No other malignancy within the past 10 years except basal cell skin cancer
• No adenopathies

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• Not specified

Endocrine therapy:

• At least 2-6 months since prior hormonal therapy, if duration no greater than 4-8 months
• No concurrent luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonists
• No concurrent anti-androgen therapy
• No concurrent hormonal therapy in high-risk group

Radiotherapy:

• No prior pelvic radiotherapy

Surgery:

• No prior lymphadenectomy
• No prior surgical castration
• No prior prostatectomy
• At least 1 month since prior transurethral resection