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

Inclusion Criteria

• •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