Finite Androgen Ablation With or Without Abiraterone Acetate and Prednisone in Treating Patients With Recurrent Prostate Cancer

Have signed an informed consent document indicating that the subjects understand the purpose of and procedures required for the study and are willing to participate in the study

Written Authorization for Use and Release of Health and Research Study Information has been obtained

Be willing/able to adhere to the prohibitions and restrictions specified in this protocol

Life expectancy \>= 12 months

ECOG performance status (PS) =\< 2

Histologically documented diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the prostate (PCa) with no histologic variants

Prostate cancer recurrence after definitive local therapy (radical prostatectomy and/or radiation therapy) as evidenced by rising serum PSA, without evidence of metastases by bone scan or computed tomography (CT) scan

* After radiation: A rising PSA taken to indicate recurrent prostate cancer in patients with previous definitive external beam radiotherapy will be defined as PSA of 1.0

* After Radical Prostatectomy: A rising PSA taken to indicate recurrent prostate cancer in patients with previous radical prostatectomy will be defined by the criteria of the American Urological Association as any PSA measurement of 0.2, with a subsequent measurement \> 0.2 ng/mL

Patients who have received androgen ablative therapy for less than 8 weeks immediately prior to initiation of study drug are eligible provided they had only PSA evidence of progression (as defined above) with no visible metastases by CT-scan and bone scan (within 6 weeks) prior to starting androgen ablation

White blood cell (WBC) \>= 3.5 x 10\^9/L

Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1.5 x 10\^9/L

Platelets \>= 100 x 10\^9/L

Hemoglobin (Hb) \>= 9.0 g/dL

Total bilirubin =\< 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN)

Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) =\< 1.5 x the upper limit of normal

Serum potassium of \>= 3.5 mEq/L

Serum albumin of \>= 3.0 g/dL

Serum creatinine =\< 1.5 x ULN

Patients must have recovered from prior treatment regimens, e.g. surgery, radiation

A patient who is sexually active and their partner must agree and use two reliable barrier forms of contraception (for example, condoms and diaphragm), from first day of study drug administration until for 1 week after last dose of abiraterone acetate, unless partner is post-menopausal

Able to swallow the study drug whole as a tablet

Willing to take abiraterone acetate on an empty stomach; no food should be consumed at least two hours before and for at least one hour after the dose of abiraterone acetate is taken

What this study is about