Docetaxel, Radiation Therapy, and Hormone Therapy in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate

  • Clinically locally advanced disease, defined as 1 of the following:

    • T_xN_0M_0 AND prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≥ 20 ng/mL AND Gleason score ≥ 7
    • T_3b,4N_0M_0 AND any PSA and Gleason score
    • T_xN_0M_0 AND any PSA AND Gleason score ≥ 8
• No pelvic lymph node disease that would necessitate pelvic radiotherapy
• No radiologic evidence of metastatic disease on bone scan or on CT scan or MRI of the abdomen or pelvis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

• Not specified

Hematopoietic

• Granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic

• Bilirubin normal

• Meets 1 of the following criteria:

  • AST or ALT ≤ 5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) AND alkaline phosphatase ≤ ULN
  • AST or ALT ≤ 1.5 times ULN AND alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
  • AST or ALT ≤ ULN AND alkaline phosphatase ≤ 5 times ULN

Renal

• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN

Cardiovascular

• No uncontrolled cardiac disease

Other

• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after study participation
• HIV negative
• No peripheral neuropathy > grade 1
• No uncontrolled infection
• No uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
• No psychiatric illness that would preclude patient from giving informed consent
• No history of severe hypersensitivity reaction to docetaxel or other drugs formulated with Polysorbate 80

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• No prior immunotherapy for prostate cancer
• No concurrent sargramostim (GM-CSF) or filgrastim (G-CSF)

Chemotherapy

• No prior chemotherapy for prostate cancer
• No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

• Prior androgen deprivation therapy allowed for up to 4 weeks before study entry

• No concurrent hormone therapy except for the following:

  • Steroids for adrenal insufficiency
  • Hormones for non-disease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes)
  • Intermittent dexamethasone as an antiemetic or as premedication for docetaxel administration

Radiotherapy

• No prior radiotherapy for prostate cancer
• No concurrent radiotherapy, including palliative radiotherapy

Surgery

• At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery

Other

• No prior alternative therapy for prostate cancer