Food Effect Study of Abiraterone Acetate for Treatment of Patients With Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Inclusion Criteria:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed prostate cancer with progressive disease defined as either:

  * 2 or more new lesions on bone scan or
  * Progressive disease on computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) according to Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1 criteria or
  * Rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA): PSA evidence for progressive prostate cancer consists of a minimum PSA level of at least 2 ng/ml, which has subsequently risen on at least 2 successive occasions, at least 2 weeks apart
* Evidence of castration resistance defined as disease progression despite a testosterone level \< 50 ng/dL (or surgical castration)
* Any prior therapy for castrate disease is acceptable except prior abiraterone, which is excluded; a minimum washout of 28 days for any other anticancer therapy prior to first dose of study drug is required

  * Any other radiotherapy or radionuclide require 28-day washout prior to first dose of study drug
  * Denosumab or zoledronic acid are allowed
* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0 or 1
* Total bilirubin =\< 1.5 x the upper limit of normal
* Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase \[SGOT\])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamic pyruvate transaminase \[SGPT\]) =\< 2.5 X institutional upper limit of normal
* Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document

Exclusion Criteria:

* Therapy with other hormonal therapy, including any dose of megestrol acetate (Megace), finasteride (Proscar), dutasteride (Avodart), or any herbal product known to decrease PSA levels (e.g., saw palmetto and PC-SPES), or any systemic corticosteroid (other than prednisone =\< 10 mg/day) within 4 weeks prior to first dose of study drug
* Therapy with supplements or complementary medicines/botanicals within 4 weeks of first dose of study drug is excluded with the following exceptions:

  * Conventional multivitamin supplements
  * Selenium
  * Lycopene
  * Soy supplements
* Inability to swallow capsules or known gastrointestinal malabsorption
* History of other malignancies, with the exception of adequately treated non-melanoma skin cancer or adequately treated superficial bladder cancer or other solid tumors curatively treated with no evidence of disease for \>= 5 years from enrollment
* Blood pressure that is not controlled despite \> 2 oral agents (systolic blood pressure \[SBP\] \> 160 and diastolic blood pressure \[DBP\] \> 90 documented during the screening period with no subsequent blood pressure readings \< 160/100)
* Serum potassium (K)+ \< 3.5 mmoL/L on more than one reading within the screening period
* Serious intercurrent infections or non-malignant medical illnesses that are uncontrolled
* Active psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with protocol requirements
* New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II, NYHA class III, or IV congestive heart failure (any symptomatic heart failure)
* Concurrent therapy with strong inhibitors or inducers of Cytochrome P450 (CYP)3A4 due to concerning possible drug-drug interactions with abiraterone