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

        DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

          -  Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate

               -  T1c-T2b, N0, M0

          -  Intermediate-risk disease, as defined by 1 of the following:

               -  Gleason score < 7 AND prostate-specific antigen (PSA) 10-20 ng/mL

               -  Gleason score 7 AND PSA < 10 ng/mL

          -  No evidence of distant metastases

          -  Prostate volume <= 60 cc by transrectal ultrasonography

          -  American Urological Association voiding symptom score no greater than 15 (alpha
             blockers allowed)

        PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

        Age

          -  18 and over

        Performance status

          -  Zubrod 0-1

        Life expectancy

          -  Not specified

        Hematopoietic

          -  Not specified

        Hepatic

          -  Not specified

        Renal

          -  Not specified

        Other

          -  Patients must use effective contraception

          -  No other malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell or squamous cell skin
             cancer or carcinoma in situ at any other site

          -  No major medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude study therapy

          -  No hip prosthesis

        PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

        Biologic therapy

          -  Not specified

        Chemotherapy

          -  No prior chemotherapy

        Endocrine therapy

          -  Prior neoadjuvant hormonal therapy allowed provided the following are true:

               -  Therapy was initiated within 2-6 months of study enrollment

               -  Therapy was no more than 6 months in duration

               -  Use of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (e.g., finasteride) is discontinued before
                  registration

          -  No concurrent hormonal therapy

        Radiotherapy

          -  No prior pelvic radiotherapy

        Surgery

          -  No prior radical surgery for prostate cancer

          -  No prior transurethral resection of the prostate

          -  No prior cryosurgery

        Other

          -  No prior transurethral needle ablation of the prostate

          -  No prior transurethral microwave thermotherapy of the prostate