RATIONALE: Imaging procedures, such as PET scan, may help doctors predict a patient's response to treatment and help plan the best treatment. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying carbon-11 acetate and fludeoxyglucose F 18 PET scan of the bone in patients with metastatic prostate cancer that has spread to the bone.
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DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
* Diagnosis of prostate cancer, meeting 1 of the following criteria:
* Metastatic hormone-sensitive disease prior to initiation of first-line androgen-deprivation therapy and meets the following criteria:
* Histologic confirmation of original diagnosis
* Hormone-sensitive is defined as progressive disease in the absence of androgen-deprivation therapy
* Presence of ≥ 3 convincing bone metastases, as defined by bone scintigraphy, CT scan (MRI if indicated), or plain x-ray
* Metastatic hormone-refractory disease prior to initiation of a first-line chemotherapy regimen that includes docetaxel and meets the following criteria:
* Histologic confirmation of original diagnosis
* Hormone-refractory is defined as development or advancement of metastatic disease with castrate testosterone levels (total testosterone \< 20 ng/dL)
* Presence of ≥ 3 convincing bone metastases, as defined by bone scintigraphy, CT scan (MRI if indicated), or plain x-ray
* Must have castrate testosterone levels (\< 20 ng/dL) from orchiectomy or undergoing maintenance with a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist
* Outside the window of a potential antiandrogen withdrawal response (either decline in prostate-specific antigen or objective response by imaging)
PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
* Life expectancy \> 12 weeks
* No serious underlying medical condition that would otherwise impair the patient's ability to receive treatment and undergo imaging studies
* No condition that would alter the patient's mental status, prohibiting the basic understanding and/or authorization of informed consent
* Able to lie still for the imaging
* Weight ≤ 300 lbs
PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 6 weeks since prior bicalutamide or nilutamide
* At least 4 weeks since prior flutamide, ketoconazole, diethylstilbestrol, or estradiol
* More than 4 weeks since prior bisphosphonate therapy
* More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy to the bone
* More than 4 weeks since prior radiopharmaceutical treatment to the bone
* No concurrent radiotherapy