Radical Prostatectomy in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate Unilateral cT3a, cN0, M0 Well or moderately differentiated tumor Gleason score no greater than 7 (4 plus 3 or 3 plus 4) Total serum prostate-specific antigen no greater than 20 ng/mL (Hybritech equivalent) PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 70 and under Performance status: WHO 0-1 Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: WBC greater than 3,000/mm^3 Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm^3 Hemoglobin greater than 9 g/dL Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times normal ALT or AST less than 3 times normal PT and PTT normal Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL Cardiovascular: No preexisting uncontrolled cardiac disease, signs of cardiac failure, or rhythm disturbances requiring therapy No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months Pulmonary: No gross abnormalities on chest x-ray Other: No other disease that would preclude surgery No other prior malignancy except adequately treated basal cell skin cancer No other concurrent primary malignancy No psychological, familial, sociological, or geographical condition that would preclude compliance PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: Not specified Endocrine therapy: No prior hormonal therapy that would affect assessment of clinical T staging, margin positivity, or definitive pT staging Radiotherapy: No prior pelvic radiotherapy that would affect surgical resectability and perioperative morbidity Surgery: No prior surgery in the small pelvis (vascular surgery, mesh graft hernia repair, any surgery for benign prostatic hypertrophy, or transurethral resection of prostate) that would preclude prostatectomy