Vaccine Therapy Plus Sargramostim and Interleukin-2 Compared With Nilutamide Alone in Treating Patients With Prostate Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed hormone-refractory adenocarcinoma of the prostate

  * Rising PSA after orchiectomy and/or while receiving at least 1 regimen of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH)
  * PSA must have risen at least 0.5 ng/mL from baseline on 2 successive measurements during and/or after hormonal therapy
  * PSA greater than 1.0 ng/mL
  * If on antiandrogen therapy, must undergo antiandrogen withdrawal for at least 6 weeks and still have evidence of rising PSA
  * After prior bicalutamide, must undergo withdrawal for at least 6 weeks and still have evidence of rising PSA
* Testosterone no greater than 50 ng/mL if no prior orchiectomy
* No metastatic disease by bone scan and CT scan or MRI of the abdomen and pelvis and by CT scan or x-ray of the chest
* No active or prior CNS metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* Zubrod 0-2 OR
* ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

* Not specified

Hematopoietic:

* Absolute lymphocyte count at least 600/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin at least 8.0 g/dL

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 1.6 mg/dL
* AST and ALT no greater than 4 times normal

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR
* Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min
* Urinalysis normal OR
* Proteinuria no greater than 1 g/24-hour urine collection
* No hematuria or abnormal sediment unless underlying cause is nonrenal

Immunologic:

* HIV negative
* No altered immune function
* No autoimmune disease, including the following:

  * Autoimmune neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, or hemolytic anemia
  * Systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjogren's syndrome, or scleroderma
  * Myasthenia gravis
  * Goodpasture syndrome
  * Addison's disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, or active Graves' disease
* No known allergy or untoward reaction to prior vaccination with vaccinia virus
* No known allergy to eggs
* No active or prior eczema or other eczematoid skin disorders
* No other acute, chronic, or exfoliative skin conditions (e.g., atopic dermatitis, impetigo, varicella zoster, burns, severe acne, or other open rashes or wounds)

Other:

* No other serious concurrent illness
* No active infections within the past 3 days
* No history of seizures, encephalitis, or multiple sclerosis
* No close or household contact for at least 2 weeks after each vaccinia virus inoculation with the following high-risk individuals:

  * Children under 5 years of age
  * Pregnant or nursing women
  * Individuals with active or prior eczema or other eczematoid skin disorders, atopic dermatitis, impetigo, varicella zoster, burns, severe acne, or other open rashes or wounds
  * Immunosuppressed or immunodeficient (by disease or therapy) individuals, including those with HIV infection
* No other malignancy within the past 3 years except squamous cell or basal cell skin cancer or other curatively treated malignancy

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* Must have prior vaccinia for smallpox immunization
* No other concurrent biologic therapy

Chemotherapy:

* No prior chemotherapy for prostate cancer
* No concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior hormonal therapy (6 weeks for bicalutamide) and recovered
* If disease progression on LHRH antagonist, must continue to receive that LHRH agent or undergo surgical castration
* No concurrent steroids unless topical or inhaled
* No other concurrent hormonal therapy

Radiotherapy:

* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
* No prior radiotherapy to more than 50% of nodal groups
* No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

* See Disease Characteristics
* See Endocrine therapy
* At least 4 weeks since prior surgery and recovered
* No prior splenectomy

Other:

* No concurrent homeopathic therapy with PC-SPES or genistein