Cilengitide in Treating Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer

Inclusion Criteria:

* A histologic or cytologic diagnosis of prostate cancer
* Metastatic disease that has progressed despite androgen deprivation therapy and antiandrogen withdrawal (28 days for flutamide and 42 days for bicalutamide or nilutamide); patients must demonstrate progression based on at least one of the following criteria:

  * Rising PSA - Defined as by one of the following criteria:

    * Three consecutive rising levels, with an interval of at least 2 weeks between each determination; the last determination must have a minimum value of \>= 5 ng/ml and be determined within two weeks prior to registration
    * A PSA value of \>= 20 ng/ml obtained within the 12 months prior to randomization and confirmed within 2 weeks prior to registration
    * A 50% rise in PSA values within 6 months prior to registration and confirmed within 2 weeks prior to registration; the last determination must have a minimum value of \>= 5 ng/ml
  * Progression of bidimensionally measurable soft tissue (nodal metastasis) assessed within 28 days prior to registration by a CT scan or MRI of the abdomen and pelvis
  * Progression of bone disease (evaluable disease) (new bone lesion(s)) by bone scan within 42 days prior to registration
* ECOG performance status of 0-2
* Minimum PSA \>= 5 ng/mL determined within 14 days of registration
* Testosterone \< 50 ng/dL; patients must continue primary androgen deprivation with an LHRH analogue if they have not undergone orchiectomy
* Patients must have no prostate cancer-related pain, and no visceral metastasis (lung and/or liver)
* No prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease; no more than one prior non-cytotoxic therapy for metastatic disease
* No investigational or commercial agents or therapies may be administered with the intent to treat the patient's malignancy; four weeks must have elapsed since major surgery
* Prior radiotherapy is allowed as long as the bone marrow function is adequate
* Life expectancy of greater than 6 months
* WBC \>= 3,000/µl
* ANC \>= 1,500/µl
* Platelet count \>= 100,000/µl
* Creatinine =\< 1.5 x upper limits of normal
* Bilirubin within normal limits
* SGOT (AST) =\< 2.5 x upper limits of normal
* SGPT (ALT) =\< 2.5 x upper limits of normal
* The effects of EMD 121974 on the developing human fetus at the recommended therapeutic dose are unknown; for this reason and because antiangiogenic agents are known to be teratogenic, men must agree to use adequate contraception prior to study entry and for the duration of study participation
* Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document that is approved by the Institutional Human Investigation Committee (HIC)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients may not be receiving any other investigational agents
* Patients with known brain metastases should be excluded from this clinical trial because of their poor prognosis and because they often develop progressive neurologic dysfunction that would confound the evaluation of neurologic and other adverse events
* Patients may continue on a daily Multi-Vitamin, but all other herbal, alternative and food supplements (i.e. PC-Spes, Saw Palmetto, St John Wort, etc.) must be discontinued before registration
* Patients on stable doses of bisphosphonates which have been started no less than 6 weeks prior to protocol therapy, that show subsequent tumor progression, may continue on this medication, however patients are not allowed to initiate bisphosphonate therapy immediately prior or during the study
* Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements
* Patients with a "currently active" second malignancy other than non-melanoma skin cancers are not eligible; patients are not considered to have a "currently active" malignancy if they have completed therapy and are now considered without evidence of disease for 2 years