Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed prostate cancer

- Stratum I:

- Clinically localized primary prostate cancer

- T1-T3, G1-G3, N0, M0

- Plan to undergo a radical prostatectomy OR

- Local or locally advanced primary prostate cancer

- T1-T4, G1-G3, N0, M0

- Plan to undergo radiotherapy with curative intent

- Stratum II:

- Metastatic prostate cancer

- T1-T4, G1-G3, N1, M0-M1 OR

- T1-T4, G1-G3, N0-1, M1

- Plan to receive hormonal treatment

- No anti-androgen monotherapy

- No cerebral metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- Any age

Performance status:

- Not specified

Life expectancy:

- Not specified

Hematopoietic:

- Not specified

Hepatic:

- Not specified

Renal:

- Not specified

Other:

- Mentally fit to complete a questionnaire

- Literate in the language of the questionnaires

- No psychological, familial, sociological, or geographical condition that would
preclude compliance

- No other concurrent malignancy except basal cell skin cancer

- No concurrent participation in other quality of life investigations that would
preclude study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- Not specified

Chemotherapy:

- Not specified

Endocrine therapy:

- See Disease Characteristics

- No prior neoadjuvant hormonal treatment

- Planned adjuvant hormonal therapy (orchiectomy, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone
analogue, or maximal androgen blockade) is allowed for patients in stratum I

Radiotherapy:

- See Disease Characteristics

- No interstitial radiotherapy

- More than 2 years since prior radiotherapy (stratum II)

Surgery:

- See Disease Characteristics

- More than 2 years since prior prostatectomy (stratum II)

Other:

- No prior treatment for prostate carcinoma