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