RATIONALE: Zoledronate may prevent bone loss in patients with prostate cancer undergoing radiation therapy and hormone therapy. It is not yet known whether zoledronate is more effective than calcium and vitamin D alone in preventing osteoporosis and bone fractures in patients with prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying zoledronate to see how well it works compared to calcium and vitamin D alone in preventing osteoporosis and bone fractures in patients with locally advanced nonmetastatic prostate cancer undergoing radiation therapy and hormone therapy.

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

• Compare the potential benefit of bisphosphonate therapy comprising zoledronate plus vitamin D and calcium supplement vs standard therapy with vitamin D and calcium supplement in the prevention of osteoporosis and associated bone fractures in patients with locally advanced nonmetastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate undergoing radiotherapy and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist therapy.

Secondary

• Evaluate the potential benefit of these regimens on quality of life in these patients.
• Evaluate the potential benefit in bone mineral density over a period of 3 years for patients treated with these regimens.

OUTLINE: This is randomized multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to T score of the hip by dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan (< -1.0 but > -2.5 vs ≥ - 1.0) and planned duration of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist therapy (1-2½ years vs > 2½ years). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.

Quality of life is assessed at baseline and every 6 months during treatment.

Eligibility criteria:

• Pathologically (histologically or cytologically) proven diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the prostate within 12 months of registration;

• Any one of the following clinical stages:

  • T3 disease, any N stage, M0 with any Gleason score and any prostate-specific antigen (PSA); < T3 stage, any N stage, M0 with Gleason's score ≥ 8 and any PSA; < T3 stage, any N stage, M0 with Gleason's score 7 and PSA ≥ 15 nanograms/ml; < T3 stage, any N stage, M0 with Gleason score < 7 and PSA ≥ 20 nanograms/ml.

• A negative bone scan for metastatic disease;

• It is mandatory that the treating physician determine the planned duration of LHRH therapy prior to the site registering the patient (minimum 1 year of therapy); If patient is receiving pre-treatment LHRH therapy, it must have begun ≤ 6 months prior to registration. If pelvic radiation therapy (RT) has started, it must have begun ≤ 8 weeks prior to registration;

• Appropriate stage for protocol entry, including no distant metastases, based upon the following minimum diagnostic workup to be done within 16 weeks prior to registration:

• History/physical examination;

• Dental evaluation, including history of dental surgery (e.g., extraction or implant);

• Bone scan;

• T and L spine films;

• DXA scan: To be eligible the patient must have a scan on Lunar, Hologic, or Norland equipment only and the T scores in both the L spine and total hip must be > negative 2.5;

• Zubrod Performance Status 0-1 within 16 weeks prior to registration; (8/16/07)

• Age ≥ 18;

• Serum creatinine within 4 weeks prior to registration (8/16/07)

• Corrected serum calcium ≥ 8.4 and ≤ 10.6 mg/dl within 8 weeks prior to registration; note: for patients with an albumin of 4.0, corrected calcium=measured calcium. The formula for corrected calcium if serum albumin value is above or below 4.0 is as follows: Corrected calcium (mg/dl) = (4 - [patient's albumin (g/dl)] x 0.8) + patient's measured calcium (mg/dl)

• Patients who are sexually active must be willing/able to use medically acceptable forms of contraception, as the treatment involved in this study may be significantly teratogenic.

• Patient agrees to refrain from using all products listed in Section 9.2, "Non-permitted Supportive Therapy";

• Post-prostatectomy patients are eligible.

• Patient must sign study specific informed consent prior to study entry.

Ineligibility criteria:

• Prior invasive malignancy (except non-melanomatous skin cancer) unless disease free for a minimum of 3 years; e.g., carcinoma in situ of the breast or oral cavity are permissible;
• Patients with baseline T scores of ≤ -2.5 are excluded.
• Patients with baseline calculated creatinine clearance < 30 mL/min (estimated by Cockcroft-Gault formula below) are excluded. creatinine clearance male = [(140 - age) x (wt in kg)] / [(serum creatinine) x (72)]
• Prior bisphosphonate therapy;
• Prior pelvic radiation (other than for current prostate cancer) or prior systemic radiotherapeutic agents, such as strontium or samarium;
• Patients receiving systemic chemotherapy, steroids, growth hormones, or calcitonin;
• Patients with a history of Paget's disease or with uncontrolled thyroid or parathyroid dysfunction or with other diseases that influence bone metabolism;
• Known hypersensitivity to zoledronic acid or other bisphosphonates;
• Active dental problems at study entry, including infection of the teeth or jawbone; dental or fixture trauma; or a current or prior diagnosis of osteonecrosis of the jaw, exposed bone in the mouth, or slow healing after dental procedures;
• Recent or planned

PI's are required to abide by the sponsor's publication guidelines which require review by coauthors and subsequent review and approval by the sponsor.