Hormone Therapy and Ipilimumab in Treating Patients With Advanced Prostate Cancer

Inclusion Criteria:

NOTE: All values must be obtained =< 14 prior to study entry
Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate staged within 180 days of study enrollment, >cT2cN0/M0 stage with or without metastatic disease, with the exclusion of central nervous system (CNS) metastases; includes post radical prostatectomy patients with a rising PSA
An initial PSA >= 4.0 ng/mL (Hybritech Assay)
For those patients who have received hormone therapy =< 21 days, a documented PSA of >= 4.0 prior to initiation of hormone therapy is acceptable.
For patients who are post radical prostatectomy, a rising PSA is acceptable.
Adequate organ function defined as: WBC >= 3,000/uL; platelets >= 75,000/uL; total bilirubin =< 1.5 mg/dL; transaminases =< 2.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN); serum creatine =< 2.0 mg/dL or calculated creatinine clearance >= 60 mL/min
ECOG performance status of 0-2
Able to understand and sign informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

Underlying other serious medical condition which, in the opinion of the investigator precludes study participation; this includes immune-suppressive disease such as AIDS or autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis, lupus, or myasthenia gravis
Patients not recovered from major infections and/or surgical procedures
Prior hormonal therapy > 21 days prior to enrollment, including estrogens, LH/RH agonists, or antiandrogens
Recent (=< 3 months of informed consent) usage of immune-suppressive medication including steroids, Immuran, Cyclosporin; topical or inhalational steroid use is permissible
Prior systemic chemotherapy
Prior radiation therapy to the prostate
Prior malignancy, unless the patient has been cancer-free for five years or more
Uncontrolled underlying medical or psychiatric illness, or serious active infections
Patient unwilling to complete all required follow-up visits
History of motor neuropathy considered of the autoimmune origin (e.g. Guillian-Barre Syndrome)
Concurrent malignancy, except for adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer
For patients who elect to undergo the baseline transrectal needle biopsy of the prostate, current usage of systemic anticoagulation therapy, i.e. heparin or Coumadin or inability to discontinue aspirin, aspirin-containing products or ibuprofen for seven days prior to the prostate biopsies required for this study
No other investigational drugs will be allowed during the study
Other chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, hormonal therapy, or biologic therapy may not be used while the patient is on study