Prasterone in Treating Patients with Synovial Sarcoma That is Metastatic or Cannot Be Removed by Surgery

Inclusion Criteria

• Diagnosis of histologically or cytologically confirmed metastatic or non-resectable synovial sarcoma
• Failed at least one line of chemotherapy; neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy count as a prior line of therapy
• Measurable disease defined as lesions that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension (longest diameter to be recorded) as >= 10 mm with computed tomography (CT) scan, as >= 20 mm by chest x-ray, or >= 10 mm with calipers by clinical exam
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status =< 2
• Leukocytes >= 3,000/mcL
• Absolute neutrophil count >= 1,500/mcl
• Platelets >= 50,000/mcl
• Total bilirubin =< 1.5 x institutional upper limit of normal (IULN)
• Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)(serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT)(serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase [SGPT]) =< 3.0 x IULN
• Creatinine =< IULN OR creatinine clearance >= 60 mL/min/1.73 m^2 for patients with creatinine levels above institutional normal
• Women of childbearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception prior to study entry and for the duration of study participation; patients using antiestrogens for oral birth control are ineligible; should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she must inform her treating physician immediately
• Ability to understand and willingness to sign an Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved written informed consent document (or that of legally authorized representative, if applicable)

Exclusion Criteria

• A history of other malignancy =< 3 years previous with the exception of basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin which were treated with local resection only or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• Currently receiving any other investigational agents
• Known brain metastases; patients with known brain metastases must be excluded from this clinical trial
• A history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to DHEA or other agents used in the study
• Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements
• Pregnant and/or breastfeeding; women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test within 14 days of study entry
• Known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positivity on combination antiretroviral therapy
• Known mania-associated psychiatric disorder
• Known seizure disorder
• Using corticosteroids or estrogen-based oral birth control
• Using drugs known to lower or increase levels of DHEA
• Requires estrogen or testosterone
• Taking warfarin sodium; patients on other blood thinners should be monitored for thrombocytopenia
• Taking a strong inhibitor or inducer of cytochrome P450; intermediate inhibitors are allowed if deemed medically necessary