Inclusion Criteria

PROTOCOL ENTRY CRITERIA:

--Disease Characteristics--

- Histologically confirmed melanoma; Stage III with locoregional disease, in transit
metastasis, or nodal disease OR Stage IV metastatic disease in skin, subcutaneous
tissue, lymph node(s), and/or lung

- At least 1 metastasis for which surgery is not deemed to be a curative option

- Relapsed from or has not responded to frontline chemotherapy or biotherapy

- At least 1 measurable tumor at least 1 cm by 1 cm, but less than 5 cm by 5 cm

- No history of brain metastases or visceral metastases other than lung metastases

--Prior/Concurrent Therapy--

- Biologic therapy: See Disease Characteristics; At least 4 weeks since prior biologic
therapy

- Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics; At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy

- Endocrine therapy: No concurrent immunosuppressive drugs

- Radiotherapy: At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy

- Surgery: At least 2 weeks since prior major surgery

- Other: No other concurrent anticancer drug therapy, or any other experimental therapy

--Patient Characteristics--

- Age: 18 and over

- Performance status: Karnofsky 80-100%

- Life expectancy: At least 6 months

- Hematopoietic: WBC at least 3,000/mm3; Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3;
Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL

- Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL; SGOT/SGPT less than 3 times upper limit
of normal; PT/PTT normal LDH and albumin normal

- Renal: Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL

- Cardiovascular: No uncontrolled hypertension; No New York Heart Association class III
or IV disease

- Other: HIV negative; Negative pregnancy test; Fertile patients must use effective
contraception; No active autoimmune disease; No active infection requiring parenteral
antibiotics; No uncontrolled diabetes mellitus; No other prior malignancy in the past
5 years except skin cancer or stage 0-II cervical cancer; No significant psychiatric
disorders