Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically or cytologically confirmed prostate cancer

- Must have metastatic bone disease (bone metastases present on bone scan, extent of
disease [EOD] ≥ 1)

- Must be sensitive to androgen-blockade therapy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Inclusion criteria:

- ECOG performance status 0-1

- Leukocyte count ≥ 3,000/μL

- Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL

- Platelet count ≥ 7.5 × 10^4/μL

- Serum creatine level ≤ 3.0 mg/dL

- 8.5 mg/dL ≤ corrected serum level of calcium ≤ 11.5 mg/dL

- Total bilirubin ≤ 1.8 mg/dL

- ALT ≤ 90 IU/L

- AST ≤ 100 IU/L

Exclusion criteria:

- Poorly controlled dental caries

- Another cancer that requires treatment

- Poorly controlled hypertension or cardiovascular disease

- Active infectious diseases, HIV, or hepatitis virus infections

- Participation in the present study is considered inappropriate by a Principal
Investigator or Clinical Investigator

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- No prior androgen-blockade therapy

- No prior or other concurrent anticancer therapy

- No prior or concurrent immunologic adjuvant therapy

- No prior or concurrent steroid drugs (except ointment)

- No other prior or concurrent bisphosphonates (excluding zoledronic acid)

- No prior systemic chemotherapy