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

        DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

          -  Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate

          -  No small cell, neuroendocrine, or transitional cell carcinomas

          -  At least 1 bone metastasis by bone scan, MRI, CT scan, or plain radiographs

               -  Indeterminate lesions should be confirmed by a second imaging method

               -  At least 1 bone metastasis with no prior irradiation

          -  Concurrent androgen deprivation therapy required, defined as any of the following:

               -  Bilateral orchiectomy

               -  Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist with or without an antiandrogen

        PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

        Age

          -  18 and over

        Performance status

          -  ECOG 0-2

        Life expectancy

          -  Not specified

        Hematopoietic

          -  Not specified

        Hepatic

          -  Not specified

        Renal

          -  Creatinine clearance >= 30 mL/min

          -  Corrected calcium >= 8.0 mg/dL and < 11.6 mg/dL

        Other

          -  Fertile patients must use effective contraception

        PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

        Biologic therapy

          -  Concurrent standard biologic response modifiers allowed during open-label therapy
             only

        Chemotherapy

          -  Concurrent standard cytotoxic chemotherapy allowed during open-label therapy only

        Endocrine therapy

          -  See Disease Characteristics

          -  Prior neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant hormonal therapy allowed provided duration of
             therapy was no more than 6 months AND therapy was discontinued more than 6 months
             before study entry

          -  No more than 6 months since initiation of any of the following hormonal therapies:

               -  Orchiectomy

               -  GnRH agonist (e.g., leuprolide, goserelin, or triptorelin)

               -  Estrogen therapy

               -  Antiandrogens (e.g., bicalutamide, flutamide, or nilutamide)

               -  Any other therapy known to lower testosterone levels or inhibit testosterone
                  effect

          -  No intermittent androgen deprivation therapy except for patients concurrently
             enrolled on SWOG-9346

          -  Concurrent palliative corticosteroids allowed during open-label therapy only

          -  Concurrent standard hormonal agents allowed during open-label therapy only

        Radiotherapy

          -  See Disease Characteristics

          -  No prior radiopharmaceuticals

          -  At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy

          -  Concurrent standard radiotherapy to extraskeletal tumor sites allowed during
             open-label therapy only

        Surgery

          -  See Disease Characteristics

        Other

          -  No prior bisphosphonates

          -  No prior denosumab

          -  No other concurrent agents expected to alter osteoclast activity (e.g., denosumab,
             calcitonin, mithramycin, gallium nitrate, or any other bisphosphonate)

          -  Concurrent daily supplemental elemental calcium (500 mg) and a multivitamin
             containing cholecalciferol (Vitamin D) (400 IU) OR a combination tablet containing
             both recommended

          -  Concurrent standard marketed antineoplastic therapies allowed during open-label
             therapy only