Gefitinib and Etoposide in Treating Patients With Advanced Prostate Cancer That Did Not Respond to Hormone Therapy

RATIONALE: Gefitinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth and by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as etoposide, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving gefitinib together with etoposide may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving gefitinib together with etoposide works in treating patients with advanced prostate cancer that did not respond to hormone therapy.