SB939 in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Prostate Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate
* Presence of clinically and/or radiologically documented disease (target or non-target)
* Metastatic or locally recurrent disease for which no curative therapy exists AND for which systemic chemotherapy is indicated due to progression, meeting the following criteria:

  * At least two rises in PSA over a reference value OR the development of new metastatic lesions with a stable or rising PSA

    * First rising PSA must be taken at least 1 week after the reference value
    * Third or subsequent PSA must show further increase confirming progression within 2 weeks prior to study enrollment
    * PSA progression must be documented after discontinuation of peripheral antiandrogens (4 weeks for flutamide and 6 weeks for bicalutamide/nilutamide) for patients with documented evidence of progression while receiving peripheral antiandrogens
* Medically or surgically castrated by androgen ablation

  * Castrate level of testosterone (\< 1.7 nmol/L) must be present for patients undergoing medical androgen ablation
* Received prior hormone therapy

  * Must have hormone-refractory disease
  * Therapy with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist must continue for patients already receiving this treatment at the time of enrollment
  * Patients who discontinued LHRH agonist must restart therapy (if not surgically castrated) and the castrate level of testosterone must be present
* PSA ≥ 5 ng/mL
* Primary or metastatic tumor tissue available
* No documented CNS metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* ECOG performance status 0-1
* Life expectancy ≥ 12 weeks
* Absolute granulocyte count ≥ 1.5 x 10\^9/L
* Platelet count ≥ 100 x 10\^9/L
* AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Bilirubin normal
* Serum creatinine normal
* Potassium normal
* Calcium normal
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* QTc ≤ 450 msec
* LVEF ≥ 50% by Echo or MUGA scan
* Troponin I or T ≤ ULN
* Able to take oral medication
* No preexisting uncontrolled cardiac condition
* No prior myocardial infarction
* No history of other malignancies, except adequately treated nonmelanoma skin cancer or other solid tumors curatively treated with no evidence of disease for ≥ 5 years
* No gastrointestinal abnormalities (e.g., bowel obstruction or previous gastric resection) that would lead to inadequate absorption of HDAC Inhibitor SB939
* No known HIV positivity or hepatitis B or C infections
* No chronic medical condition or comorbidity that may increase the risks associated with study participation/study drug administration or may interfere with the interpretation of study results, including any of the following:

  * Pulmonary disease
  * Active infection
  * Psychiatric condition
  * Laboratory abnormality

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior antiandrogens (6 weeks for bicalutamide)
* At least 4 weeks since prior external-beam radiotherapy

  * Exceptions may be made for low-dose, non-myelosuppressive radiotherapy
* At least 28 days since other prior investigational therapy or anticancer therapy
* At least 14 days since prior major surgery and wound healing has occurred
* No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen allowed and recovered from significant toxicity
* No prior strontium
* No prior HDAC inhibitors
* No current agents (dysrhythmic drugs) with a known risk of Torsades de Pointes
* No other concurrent cytotoxic therapy or radiotherapy
* No other concurrent investigational therapy