Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically or cytologically confirmed metastatic melanoma

- No ocular or mucosal melanoma

- Must meet one of the following criteria:

- Failed standard or salvage therapy

- Ineligible for standard therapy due to concurrent illness

- Declined standard therapy

- Received at least 1 prior therapy for metastatic disease

- Brain metastasis as only site of metastatic disease allowed if there is documented
evidence of progression after at least 1 prior treatment for metastases

- No leptomeningeal metastases

- At least 1 documented site of bidimensionally measurable disease by MRI or CT scan

- Previously irradiated lesions not considered measurable unless documented
disease progression after radiotherapy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- 18 and over

Performance status:

- ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

- More than 3 months

Hematopoietic:

- WBC at least 3,000/mm^3

- Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

- Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL

- No coagulation disorder such as thrombophlebitis

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin less than 2.0 mg/dL

- AST and ALT less than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

- Alkaline phosphatase less than 3 times ULN

Renal:

- Creatinine less than 1.5 times ULN

- BUN less than 1.5 times ULN

Cardiovascular:

- Ejection fraction at least 45%

- No active ischemia

- No unstable angina

- No uncontrolled congestive heart failure

Pulmonary:

- Normal pulmonary function tests within the past month

- FEV1 or FVC more than 65% predicted

- No uncontrolled pulmonary embolism

Gastrointestinal:

- No frequent vomiting

- No medical condition that would preclude oral medication intake (e.g., partial bowel
obstruction)

Other:

- No prolonged grade 4 myelosuppression from prior dacarbazine lasting more than 3
weeks

- No uncontrolled cortical dysfunction

- No other major medical illness (e.g., active systemic infection, autoimmune disease,
or uncontrolled thyroid abnormality)

- No other malignancy within the past 5 years except resected basal cell carcinoma or
carcinoma in situ of the cervix

- No significant psychiatric disease that would preclude study compliance

- No AIDS-related illness

- HIV negative

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- See Disease Characteristics

Biologic therapy:

- More than 1 month since prior biologic therapy or immunotherapy

Chemotherapy:

- More than 1 month since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin)

Endocrine therapy:

- At least 4 weeks since prior steroid therapy or steroid-containing compounds

- At least 2 weeks since prior topical or inhaled steroids

Radiotherapy:

- See Disease Characteristics

- More than 1 month since prior radiotherapy, interstitial brachytherapy, or
radiosurgery

Surgery:

- At least 1 week since prior surgery