DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed locally recurrent prostate cancer after prior brachytherapy or external-beam radiotherapy for initial diagnosis of organ-confined disease (clinical stage T1 or T2 only)

  • Prostatic fossa biopsy positive for cancer cells
• Gleason score no greater than 7
• PSA levels 0.5-10 ng/mL
• Able to adequately visualize local recurrence on transrectal ultrasound imaging
• No prostate calcification greater than 5 mm
• No metastases by bone scan

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 40 to 80

Performance status:

• Not specified

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Not specified

Hepatic:

• No bleeding disorder as determined by abnormal PT and PTT

Renal:

• No active urinary tract infection
• No history of urinary bladder neck contracture

Other:

• No prior allergy to latex
• No Anesthesia Surgical Assignment (ASA) category IV or greater
• No interest in future fertility
• No history of inflammatory bowel disease
• No other concurrent major nonmalignant debilitating illness
• No other prior or concurrent malignancy except skin cancer

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• No prior biologic therapy for prostate cancer

Chemotherapy:

• No prior chemotherapy for prostate cancer

Endocrine therapy:

• At least 3 months since prior hormonal therapy (including finasteride) for prostate cancer

Radiotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior radical prostatectomy
• No prior transurethral resection of prostate
• No prior urethral stent
• No prior major rectal surgery

Other:

• No prior thermotherapy
• No other prior therapy for prostate cancer
• No concurrent warfarin or other anticoagulant