Biological Therapy in Treating Patients With Prostate Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate

Evidence of androgen-independent disease

Patient must have received prior primary hormonal therapy (e.g., orchiectomy or gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog with or without antiandrogen)

Demonstrated disease progression by any 1 of the following:

Elevated PSA level (at least 5 ng/mL) that has serially risen from baseline on 2 occasions at least 1 week apart
At least 1 new osseous lesion on bone scan
More than 25% increase in the sum of the products of the perpendicular diameters of all bidimensionally measurable sites of disease
No CNS metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

Not specified

Performance status:

ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy:

At least 3 months

Hematopoietic:

Not specified

Hepatic:

Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
SGPT no greater than 1.5 times ULN
Hepatitis B surface antigen negative
No active or chronic hepatitis B or C
No other hepatic dysfunction that would preclude study

Renal:

Creatinine less than 2.0 mg/dL
Calcium less than 11 mg/dL
No renal dysfunction that would preclude study
No symptomatic hypercalcemia

Cardiovascular:

No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease

Pulmonary:

No pulmonary disease requiring inhaled steroids or bronchodilators

Other:

No history of HIV 1 or 2 or human T-cell lymphotrophic virus (HTLV) 1 or 2
No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer
No history of autoimmune disease (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis)
No other major organ system dysfunction
No gastrointestinal, neurologic, or psychiatric dysfunction that would preclude study
Human anti-mouse antibody negative

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

No concurrent growth factors, interleukin, interferons, or cytokines

Chemotherapy:

No prior chemotherapy or other systemic chemotherapy agent for prostate or any other cancer

Endocrine therapy:

Prior aminoglutethimide allowed
At least 4 weeks since prior flutamide
At least 6 weeks since prior bicalutamide or nilutamide
Concurrent luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonists should be continued
No concurrent corticosteroids or dexamethasone
No concurrent anti-androgens (e.g., flutamide, bicalutamide, or nilutamide)

Radiotherapy:

At least 4 weeks since prior local radiotherapy
No prior radiopharmaceutical therapy (e.g., strontium chloride Sr 89 or samarium Sm 153 lexidronam pentasodium)
No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

Not specified

Other:

Prior ketoconazole or PC-SPES allowed
At least 1 week since prior antibiotic, antifungal, or antiviral agents
At least 4 weeks since other prior systemic therapy for prostate cancer (except bisphosphonates or hormonal therapy)
At least 6 weeks since prior investigational drugs or devices
No other concurrent therapy for this disease
No concurrent participation in another clinical trial
No concurrent bisphosphonates unless initiated prior to study
No concurrent immunosuppressive drugs
No other concurrent experimental therapies