Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Bone Metastases From Breast or Prostate Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically proven breast or prostate cancer * Radiographic evidence of bone metastasis within 8 weeks of study * Eligible treatment sites: * Weight-bearing sites: * Pelvis (excluding pubis) * Femur * Sacrum and/or sacroiliac joints * Tibia * Non-weight-bearing sites: * Up to 5 consecutive cervical, thoracic, or lumbar vertebral bodies * Lumbosacral spine * Up to 3 consecutive ribs * Humerus * Fibula * Radius with/without ulna * Clavicle * Scapula * Pubis * If multiple sites are treated, site is included as weight bearing if any of the sites include the pelvis, sacrum, femur, or tibia * Worst pain score of at least 5 on a scale of 10 * No skull, feet, or hand metastases * No spinal cord or cauda equina compression/effacement in vertebral metastases * Multiple sites eligible if they can be included in no greater than 3 treatment sites PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: * 18 and over Performance status: * Karnofsky 40-100% Life expectancy: * At least 3 months Hematopoietic: * Not specified Hepatic: * Not specified Renal: * Not specified Other: * No impending fracture of the treatment site * No hematologic primary malignancies * Negative pregnancy test PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: * No change in immunotherapy within 30 days Chemotherapy: * No change in chemotherapy within 30 days Endocrine therapy: * No change in hormonal therapy within 30 days Radiotherapy: * No prior radiation therapy to treatment area * At least 30 days since systemic radiotherapy (Sr 89) Surgery: * No prior palliative surgery to treatment area * No planned surgical fixation of the bone