Inclusion Criteria

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