Hormone Therapy and Temsirolimus in Treating Patients With Relapsed Prostate Cancer

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To characterize safety and drug-related adverse events of two doses (15 and 25 mg) of intravenous weekly temsirolimus combined with short term complete androgen ablation and to select a favorable and tolerable dose for prostate cancer patients who experience biochemical failure after prostatectomy and/or radiation therapy. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To archive tissue and blood components for future study of molecular markers of response and disease progression. II. To evaluate the effects of 2 dose levels of temsirolimus on changes in the phosphorylation state of proteins in the mTOR pathway using western blots on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). OUTLINE: Patients receive combined androgen ablation therapy comprising a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue (i.e., leuprolide acetate intramuscularly once monthly or goserelin subcutaneously every 3 months) and an oral anti-androgen drug (i.e., bicalutamide or nilutamide once daily or flutamide 3 times daily) on days 1-90.\* Beginning on day 60 of hormonal therapy, patients receive temsirolimus IV over 30 minutes once weekly. Treatment with temsirolimus continues for up to 36 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. NOTE: \*Patients may receive no more than 3 months of hormonal therapy, including therapy initiated within 2 months of study entry. After completion of study therapy, patients are followed at 30 days.