Vaccine Therapy With or Without Docetaxel in Treating Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Diagnosis of androgen-independent metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate, confirmed by 1 of the following:

  * Histologically confirmed disease
  * Pathologically documented disease and clinical course consistent with prostate cancer
* Castrate levels of testosterone with progressive disease by at least 1 of the following parameters:

  * 2 consecutively rising prostate-specific antigen levels, separated by at least 1 week, with at least 1 measurement that is 50% above the nadir reached after the last therapeutic maneuver (must be at least 5 ng/mL)
  * At least 1 new metastatic deposit on technetium Tc 99 bone scintigraphy
  * Progression of soft-tissue metastases by imaging or palpation, as indicated by:

    * Development of new area of malignant disease
    * At least 20% increase in sum of the longest dimension of target lesions
* Serum testosterone less than 50 ng/dL if no prior surgical castration

  * Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone therapy must continue
* HLA-A2 positive
* No brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

* 18 and over

Performance status

* ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

* More than 6 months

Hematopoietic

* Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
* Lymphocyte count at least 500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3

Hepatic

* Bilirubin less than 1.5 mg/dL
* AST and ALT less than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times ULN OR
* Hepatic alkaline phosphatase fraction less than 2.5 times ULN

Renal

* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR
* Creatinine clearance at least 40 mL/min
* Proteinuria grade 0-1 OR
* Protein less than 1,000 mg by 24-hour urine collection
* No hematuria
* No abnormal sediment unless non-renal

Cardiovascular

* No unstable or newly diagnosed angina pectoris
* No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
* No New York Heart Association class II-IV congestive heart failure
* No concurrent clinically significant cardiomyopathy requiring treatment

Immunologic

* No prior allergy or untoward reaction to vaccinia virus vaccination
* No altered immune function, including:

  * Eczema
  * Atopic dermatitis
  * HIV
  * Autoimmune disease

    * Autoimmune neutropenia
    * Thrombocytopenia
    * Hemolytic anemia
    * Systemic lupus erythematosus
    * Sjogren's syndrome
    * Scleroderma
    * Myasthenia gravis
    * Goodpasture syndrome
    * Addison's disease
    * Hashimoto's thyroiditis
    * Active Graves' disease
    * Multiple sclerosis
* No extensive psoriasis, severe acneiform rash, impetigo, varicella zoster, burns, or other traumatic or pruritic skin condition
* No known allergy to eggs

Other

* No other malignancy within the past 2 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the bladder
* No other life-threatening or serious illness
* No unhealed surgical scars
* No household or close physical contact with persons with any of the following conditions during or for 2 weeks after study treatment:

  * Eczema or eczematoid skin disorders
  * Acute, chronic, or exfoliative skin conditions (e.g., atopic dermatitis, burns, impetigo, varicella zoster, severe acne, or other open rashes or wounds)
  * Pregnant or nursing women
  * Children under 5 years of age
  * Immunodeficient or immunosuppressed (including HIV positive) individuals
* No history of seizures or encephalitis

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* Not specified

Chemotherapy

* No prior taxanes for metastatic prostate cancer

Endocrine therapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior flutamide
* At least 6 weeks since prior bicalutamide or nilutamide
* No concurrent steroids except topical steroids, inhaled steroids for mild or moderate asthma, or decadron as premedication for chemotherapy

Radiotherapy

* Not specified

Surgery

* See Disease Characteristics
* No prior splenectomy

Other

* Recovered from prior therapy