Deuteron-irradiated and deformed stainless steel specimens were investigated by positron lifetime and Doppler broadening measurements. The evolution of the defect structures was studied as a function of the isochronal annealing temperature and for various degrees of deformation. A different behaviour was observed for deformed and irradiated stainless steel specimens. Evidence for vacancy clusters was found in the deuteron-irradiated steel. These clusters disappear after annealing around 900 K.