Randomized Trial of Suicide Gene Therapy and Prostate Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• Men with histologically-confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate within 180 days prior to registration. To be eligible, the subjects must have one of the following conditions:
• Stage T1 or T2, Gleason Score 7, PSA =10 ng/mL and =50% positive biopsy cores
• Negative lymph nodes as established by imaging, nodal sampling, or dissection within 90 days prior to registration.
• No evidence of metastatic disease as evaluated by bone scan and CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis within 90 days prior to registration
• Karnofsky performance status >=70
• Subjects must have adequate baseline organ function, as assessed by the following laboratory values, within 30 days before initiating the study
• Adequate renal function with serum creatinine =45 mL/min/m2.
• Platelet count > 100,000/μL.
• Absolute neutrophil count > 1,000/μL.
• Hemoglobin > 10.0 g/dL.
• Normal partial thromboplastin time (PTT) and prothrombin (PT).
• Bilirubin = T3.
• Prostate specific antigen (PSA) > 20 ng/mL.
• Gleason score >= 8.
• Prostate volume >120cc.
• Pathologically positive lymph nodes or nodes > 1.5 cm on imaging. Note: nodes > 1.5 cm but biopsy negative are allowed.
• Evidence of M1 metastatic disease.
• Prior invasive malignancy except for non-melanoma skin cancer within 5 years of enrollment.
• Prognosis for survival of 2 years post-completion of chemotherapy at time of registration. Patients on Proscar therapy must stop to be eligible.
• Severe, active co-morbidity defined as:
• Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within the last 6 months.
• Transmural myocardial infarction within the last 6 months.
• Acute infection. Acute infection is defined by any viral, bacterial, or fungal infection that requires specific therapy within 72 hours of initiation of the study therapy.
• Positive serological test for HIV at baseline.
• Previous history of liver disease including hepatitis.
• Immunosuppressive therapy including systemic corticosteroids. Use of inhaled and topical corticosteroids is permitted.
• Impaired immunity or susceptibility to serious viral infections.
• Allergy to any product used in the protocol. (If the subject has an allergy to Ciprofloxacin, another antibiotic can be substituted at the discretion of the treating physician.
• Serious medical or psychiatric illness or concomitant medication, which, in the judgment of the principal investigator, might interfere with the subject's ability to respond to or tolerate the treatment or complete the trial.