Samarium Sm 153 Lexidronam Pentasodium and 3-Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy or Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Rising Prostate-Specific Antigen Levels After Radical Prostatectomy for Prostate Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Inclusion criteria:

Histologically proven diagnosis of prostate cancer progressing after prior radical prostatectomy as indicated by one of the following:

Postoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) rising above 1.0 ng/mL
Postoperative PSA rising above 0.2 ng/mL with a surgical tumor Gleason score of 9 or 10
Postoperative PSA rising above 0.2 ng/ml with nodal disease
Stage II-IV disease (T2 -T4, N0-N1)

No distant metastases based on the following minimum diagnostic work up:

History or physical examination within the past 8 weeks
Bone scan negative for bone metastases within the past 4 months
Abdominal imaging negative for metastases within the past 6 months

Exclusion criteria:

Biopsy evidence of M1 disease
Presence of neuroendocrine features in any prostate cancer specimen

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Inclusion criteria:

Zubrod Performance Status 0-1
Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,800 cells/mm³
Platelet count ≥ 100,000 cells/mm³
Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL (transfusion or other intervention to achieve Hgb ≥ 8.0 g/dl is permitted)

Exclusion criteria:

Prior invasive malignancy (except nonmelanoma skin cancer) unless disease free for a minimum of 3 years

Severe, active comorbidity, defined as follows:

Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within the last 6 months
Transmural myocardial infarction within the last 6 months
Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring intravenous antibiotics at the time of registration
Hepatic insufficiency resulting in clinical jaundice and/or coagulation defects (laboratory tests for liver function and coagulation parameters, however, are not required for entry into this protocol)
Renal failure (laboratory tests for renal function, however, are not required for entry into this protocol)
AIDS based upon current Centers for Disease Control (CDC) definition (HIV testing is not required)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

No prior systemic chemotherapy for the study cancer

Prior chemotherapy for a different cancer is permitted
No hormonal therapy initiated within the last 3 months
No prior radiotherapy to the pelvic region that would result in overlap of radiotherapy fields