Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed metastatic malignant melanoma that is considered
unresectable

- Stage III or IV ocular, mucosal, or cutaneous melanoma

- Measurable disease

- No CNS disease (phase I only)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- 18 and over

Performance status:

- Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy:

- Not specified

Hematopoietic:

- Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count at least 150,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

- SGOT/SGPT no greater than 3 times ULN

- Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 3 times ULN

Renal:

- Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN

Cardiovascular:

- No history of active angina

- No myocardial infarction within past 6 months

- No history of significant ventricular arrhythmia requiring medication with
antiarrhythmics

Other:

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception during and for 4 weeks
before and after study

- No frequent vomiting or medical condition that could interfere with oral medication
intake (e.g., partial bowel obstruction)

- No preexisting neurotoxicity grade 2 or greater

- No serious concurrent infections treated with antibiotics

- No nonmalignant medical illnesses that are uncontrolled or whose control may be
jeopardized by the complications of this study

- No psychiatric disorders that would preclude study compliance

- No other medical condition or reason that would preclude study

- No other malignancy within the past 2 years except:

- Nonmelanoma skin cancer

- Carcinoma in situ of the cervix

- History of T1a or b prostate cancer detected incidentally at TURP and comprising
less than 5% of resected tissue with PSA normal since TURP

- No AIDS related illness

- HIV negative

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- Recovered from prior therapy

Biologic therapy:

- At least 4 weeks since prior biologic therapy

- At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy

- No concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy:

- No prior systemic chemotherapy for metastatic melanoma

- No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

- Not specified

Radiotherapy:

- At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy, interstitial brachytherapy, or
radiosurgery

- At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy to the brain if brain metastases from
melanoma

- Prior radiotherapy to only indicator lesion allowed provided recent evidence of
disease progression at that site

- No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

- At least 2 weeks since prior surgery requiring general anesthesia