S9346A Blood Samples From Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer Previously Treated With Bicalutamide and Goserelin

Germline Polymorphisms Associated With the PSA Response in Men With Metastatic Prostate Cancer Treated With Androgen Deprivation Therapy

RATIONALE: Studying samples of blood in the laboratory from patients with cancer may help doctors learn more about changes that occur in DNA and identify biomarkers related to cancer. It may also help doctors predict how patients will respond to treatment.

PURPOSE: This research study is studying blood samples from patients with metastatic prostate cancer previously treated with bicalutamide and goserelin.

OBJECTIVES:

• To test the association between serum PSA response (< 4 ng/mL) at 7 months with inherited variability of germline single nucleotide polymorphisms, in a set of candidate genes, in patients with metastatic prostate cancer treated with combination induction androgen-deprivation therapy comprising bicalutamide and goserelin.

OUTLINE: DNA extracted from whole blood or serum samples is analyzed for inherited variability of germline single nucleotide polymorphisms.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer
• Accrued to SWOG-9346 and received androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT)
• Must have serum PSA values from the beginning to the end of 8 courses of ADT
• Must have whole blood or serum samples available

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Caucasian and African-American participants

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics