Radiation Therapy, Androgen Suppression, and Docetaxel in Treating Patients With High-Risk Prostate Cancer Who Have Undergone Radical Prostatectomy

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Pathologically proven adenocarcinoma of the prostate gland meeting one of the following criteria:

Gleason ≥ 7and post-operative PSA nadir > 0.2 ng/ml with any pathologic tumor (pT) classification
Gleason ≥ 8, post-operative PSA nadir ≤ 0.2 ng/ml and ≥ pT3a classification
Must have undergone radical prostatectomy within the past year
PSA must be obtained within 6 weeks (42 days) prior to study registration

No lymph node or distant metastases (N0, M0), based upon the following minimum diagnostic workup:

History and physical examination within 8 weeks prior to study registration
Bone scan and CT or MRI of the pelvis and no evidence of osseous metastases on bone scan within 16 weeks prior to study registration
No pelvic lymph nodes > 1.5 cm in greatest dimension on CT scan or MRI of the pelvis within 16 weeks prior to study registration, unless the enlarged lymph node is biopsied and negative

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Zubrod performance status 0-1
Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 2,000/mm³
Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL (transfusion or other intervention to achieve hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL is acceptable)
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
Total bilirubin ≤ 1.2 times ULN
No other invasive malignancy within the past 3 years except non-melanomatous skin cancer

No active, severe co-morbidity, including any of the following:

Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within the past 6 months
Transmural myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring intravenous antibiotics
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation or other respiratory illness requiring hospitalization or precluding study therapy

AIDS

HIV testing is not required for study entry
No prior allergic reaction to the study drug(s)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

No prior systemic chemotherapy for prostate cancer
More than 3 years since prior chemotherapy for a different cancer

No prior androgen deprivation for treatment of prostate cancer

Prior use of hormonal agents, such as finasteride or dutasteride, for treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy is allowed
No prior radiotherapy to the region of the prostate that would result in overlap of radiotherapy fields