SPCG-12
An open randomised phase III trial of six cycles of docetaxel versus surveillance after radical prostatectomy in prostate cancer patients with high grade pT3 or margin positive pT2
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as docetaxel, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving docetaxel after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery. Sometimes, after surgery, the tumor may not need more treatment until it progresses. In this case, observation may be sufficient. It is not yet known whether giving docetaxel after surgery is more effective than observation in treating prostate cancer.
PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying docetaxel to see how well it works compared with observation in treating patients who have undergone radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer.