DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed prostate cancer

  • Nonmetastatic disease

    • No evidence of metastatic disease on CT scan or bone scan

• Androgen-insensitive disease meeting the following criteria:

  • Rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA)* on prior antiandrogen therapy (i.e., bicalutamide or nilutamide)
  • Evidence of a rising PSA* after withdrawal of nilutamide or bicalutamide NOTE: *A rising PSA is defined as 2 consecutively rising PSA levels, separated by ≥ 1 month apart, with the last measurement > 1 ng/mL
• Concurrent gonadotropin releasing-hormone agonist or antagonist required for patients who have not undergone bilateral surgical orchiectomy or for patients who have PSA progression and are taken off flutamide
• No known brain metastasis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status 0-1
• Life expectancy ≥ 6 months
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL
• Granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Lymphocyte count ≥ 500/mm^3
• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL (≤ 3.0 mg/dL for patients with Gilbert's syndrome)
• AST and ALT < 2.5 times upper limit of normal
• Proteinuria < grade 2 (unless the cause is determined not to be renal)
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
• No other active malignancy within the past 5 years except for nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the bladder
• No other life-threatening illness
• No history of seizures, encephalitis, or multiple sclerosis
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 4 months after completion of study therapy
• No active hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection

• No evidence of being immunocompromised, including any of the following:

  • HIV positivity
  • Patients who have undergone allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation or solid organ transplantation requiring immunosuppression

• No autoimmune diseases that required treatment, including any of the following:

  • Addison's disease
  • Hashimoto's thyroiditis
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus
  • Sjögren's syndrome
  • Scleroderma
  • Myasthenia gravis
  • Goodpasture syndrome
  • Active Graves' disease
• No history of allergy or untoward reaction to prior vaccination with vaccinia virus or to any component of the vaccinia vaccine regimen

• No concurrent serious medical illness (e.g., one that requires treatment) that would preclude study treatment including, but not limited to, any of the following:

  • Inflammatory bowel disease
  • Crohn's disease
  • Ulcerative colitis
  • Active diverticulitis
• No cardiac disease, angina, or New York Heart Association class II-IV heart disease
• No history of congestive heart failure or objective evidence of congestive heart failure by physical exam or imaging
• No pulmonary disease accompanied by fatigue or dyspnea with ordinary physical activity
• No serious hypersensitivity reaction to egg products

• Must be able to avoid close contact (e.g., share the same house or has close physical contact) with any of the following individuals for ≥ 3 weeks after treatment with the study vaccine:

  • Individuals with a history of or active eczema or other eczematoid skin disorders

  • Individuals with other active, chronic, or exfoliative skin conditions, including any of the following:

    • Atopic dermatitis
    • Burns
    • Impetigo
    • Varicella zoster
    • Severe acne
    • Other open rashes or wounds
  • Pregnant or nursing women
  • Children ≤ 3 years of age
  • Immunodeficient or immunosuppressed individuals either by disease or therapy, including HIV infection

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from prior therapy or surgery
• At least 6 weeks since prior bicalutamide
• At least 4 weeks since prior nilutamide
• No prior flutamide for > 1 month in duration
• No prior splenectomy
• More than 2 weeks since prior steroid eye drops

• No prior or concurrent systemic steroids

  • Local (e.g., topical, nasal, or inhaled) steroids allowed

• No concurrent therapy, including any of the following:

  • Chemotherapy or other anticancer treatment
  • Alternative medicines
  • Radiotherapy
  • Major surgical procedures
  • Nonprotocol-related immunotherapy
  • Other hormonal therapy