Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed localized adenocarcinoma of the prostate (from a
pre-operative core biopsy, surgical specimen, or post-therapy core biopsy)

- Gleason score 5-10 at diagnosis (the highest score is used if multiple scores are
available)

- Must have undergone 1 of the following curative treatment strategies:

- Radical prostatectomy

- Not a candidate for radiotherapy

- Radical prostatectomy followed by radiotherapy at the time of surgery or any
time thereafter

- Radiotherapy of the prostate and/or surrounding structures by external beam
radiotherapy (EBRT), brachytherapy (BT), or a combination of EBRT and BT

- Must have 3 consecutive rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) measurements OR meets
slope criteria

- Biochemical failure, meeting 1 of the following criteria:

- PSA at least 0.2 ng/mL post radical prostatectomy

- PSA greater than 1.5 ng/mL after radiotherapy or appropriate calculated slope

- Testosterone at least 100 ng/mL

- No rise in PSA with concurrent clinically active prostatitis

- No metastatic prostate cancer

- PSA no greater than 20.0 ng/mL

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

- 18 and over

Performance status

- Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy

- Not specified

Hematopoietic

- WBC at least 2,500/mm^3

- Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

- Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL

Hepatic

- Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

- AST or ALT no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal

Renal

- Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL

Cardiovascular

- No uncontrolled cardiac conditions

- No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease

Gastrointestinal

- No active ulcer disease diagnosed within the past 3 months

- No upper gastrointestinal bleed requiring a transfusion within the past 3 years

- No non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-associated ulcers within the past 5
years

Other

- No known hypersensitivity to NSAIDs, including COX-2-specific inhibitors (e.g.,
celecoxib or rofecoxib)

- No other malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell or squamous cell skin
cancer

- No active systemic infections

- No other serious uncontrolled medical condition

- No dementia or altered mental status

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

- No concurrent biologic therapy

Chemotherapy

- More than 5 years since prior cytotoxic chemotherapy for other malignant disease

- No prior cytotoxic chemotherapy for prostate cancer

- No concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

- More than 9 months since prior androgen-deprivation therapy other than as
cytoreductive therapy (neoadjuvantly or adjuvantly for less than 9 months) with the
intent to cure

- More than 3 months since prior cyproterone, finasteride, diethylstilbestrol,
megestrol, or other hormonally active (antiandrogen or antiprostate) therapies

Radiotherapy

- See Disease Characteristics

- No prior strontium chloride Sr 89, samarium Sm 153 lexidronam pentasodium, or other
radioisotope materials for palliative intent or metastasis intervention

- Concurrent iodine I 125 or palladium Pd 103 for primary brachytherapy with curative
intent allowed

Surgery

- See Disease Characteristics

- More than 8 weeks since prior major surgery and recovered

- No prior orchiectomy

Other

- More than 1 month since prior PC-SPES

- More than 1 month since prior investigational agents or devices (6 months for other
investigational therapy for prostate cancer)

- No prior bisphosphonates (e.g., pamidronate, alendronate, or clodronate) for
palliative intent or metastasis intervention

- At least 2 months since prior chronic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs),
including cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)-specific inhibitors (e.g., celecoxib or
rofecoxib), administered for more than 7 days per month

- No concurrent CYP2C9 inhibitor or substrates, including but not limited to the
following:

- Phenytoin

- Fluvastatin

- Amiodarone

- Fluconazole

- Acenocoumarol

- Diclofenac

- No concurrent ketoconazole

- No concurrent antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients

- Concurrent cardioprotective aspirin up to 100 mg once daily allowed