Androgen Ablation Therapy With or Without Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Prostate Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate * Biochemically relapsed prostate cancer * Must have received primary therapy (i.e., radical prostatectomy, definitive radiotherapy, brachytherapy, or cryotherapy) * If patient has a rising PSA after radical prostatectomy, salvage radiotherapy must have been offered * Evidence of biochemical progression as determined by 3 PSA measurements, each higher than the previous value and meeting the following criteria: * The second PSA (PSA2) must be obtained at least 8 weeks after the first (PSA1) * The third PSA (PSA3) must be obtained at least 2 weeks after the PSA2 and within the past 4 weeks * The PSA3 must be \> 2.0 ng/mL and ≤ 20 ng/mL * Must not have received more than 1 course of prior androgen ablation, defined as treatment with a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist resulting in a castrate testosterone level AND a PSA nadir ≤ 0.1 followed by subsequent withdrawal of androgen ablation and recovery of testosterone to a non-castrate level * No evidence of metastatic disease on radionuclide bone scan and CT scan performed within the past 8 weeks * Retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy ≤ 2 cm is not considered metastatic for purposes of this study PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * ECOG performance status 0-1 * WBC \> 2,500/mm³ * ANC ≥ 1,500/mm³ * Hemoglobin \> 9.0 g/dL * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ * Serum creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min * Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN * PT/INR ≤ 1.3 * Serum testosterone normal * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No active autoimmune disease or history of autoimmune disease requiring treatment with systemic immunosuppression including, but not limited to, any of the following: * Inflammatory bowel disease * Systemic lupus erythematosus * Systemic vasculitis * Scleroderma * Multiple sclerosis * Hemolytic anemia * Sjögren syndrome * Sarcoidosis * No known active infection * No uncontrolled concurrent illness including, but not limited to, any of the following: * Systemic congestive heart failure * Unstable angina pectoris * Cardiac arrhythmia * Psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements * No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to leuprolide acetate, bicalutamide, or sargramostim (GM-CSF) * No known sensitivity to materials of bovine origin * No hypersensitivity to GM-CSF or to any of the other components of CG1940/CG8711, which includes fetal bovine serum, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and hydroxyethyl starch and may include small amounts of porcine trypsin and DNase PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics * More than 4 weeks since prior and no concurrent systemic corticosteroids * Use of inhaled corticosteroids for asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is permitted * More than 4 weeks since prior and no concurrent chemotherapy or other cancer therapy * More than 4 weeks since prior and no concurrent use of herbal products (e.g., saw palmetto or PC-SPES) * At least 4 weeks since prior and no other concurrent investigational agents * No other concurrent anticancer commercial agents or therapies * Prior androgen ablation administered concomitantly with primary radiotherapy allowed