GM-CSF Before Surgery in Treating Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate * No neuroendocrine or small cell features * No evidence of metastatic disease * Planning radical prostatectomy at least 2 months from now * Testosterone level normal PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * ECOG performance status (PS) 0-1 or Karnofsky PS 70-100% * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL * AST and ALT ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN * PT and PTT normal * Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception * No history of allergic reaction to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to sargramostim (GM-CSF) * No ongoing or active bacterial, viral, or fungal infection * DLCO \> 50% if patient has a history of clinically significant obstructive airway disease * No symptomatic congestive heart failure * No unstable angina pectoris * No cardiac arrhythmia * No other active malignancy, defined as cancer for which therapy has been completed and patient is now considered \< 30% risk of relapse, except nonmelanoma skin cancer * No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance * No other uncontrolled illness * No underlying medical condition that, in the opinion of the principal investigator, may make the administration of GM-CSF hazardous or obscure the interpretation of adverse events PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * More than 4 weeks since prior major surgery * No prior radiotherapy, immunotherapy, chemotherapy, or other investigational therapy for this cancer * No prior hormonal therapy including any of the following: * Luteinizing-hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists * LHRH antagonists * Antiandrogens, including any of the following: * Bilcalutamide * Flutamide * Nilutamide * 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors * PC-SPES or other PC-x product * Estrogen-containing nutriceuticals * No concurrent chemotherapy or radiotherapy * No concurrent systemic steroid therapy * Concurrent inhaled or topical steroids allowed * No other concurrent immunotherapy * No other concurrent investigational agent * No other concurrent anticancer agents or therapies