OBJECTIVES: I. Determine whether high-dose radiotherapy using conformal photons with a proton boost produces a 20% increase in the proportion of Stage I/II prostate cancer free from local failure and biochemical relapse at 5 years when compared to results of conventional-dose radiotherapy. II. Determine whether high-dose radiotherapy produces a 33% reduction in the cumulative incidence of a rising PSA (second hormone failure) following hormone therapy given at the time of first PSA/clinical failure when compared with conventional-dose radiotherapy. IV. Assess the relative rectal, bladder, and sexual morbidity of conformal photon doses of 70.2 and 79.2 Gy in these patients. V. Collect, in a prospective manner, paraffin biopsy blocks for subsequent analysis of emerging molecular pathologic predictors of outcome in three patients.