Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed cutaneous malignant melanoma

- Recurrent or metastatic disease that is not curable by surgical or other means

- Clinically and/or radiologically documented disease defined as at least one site of
disease unidimensionally measurable ≥ 20 mm by x-ray, physical exam, or nonspiral CT
scan OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan

- Must have nonbulky metastatic disease defined as the largest measurable lesion ≤ 50
mm in maximum diameter

- Must have primary diagnosis tumor tissue or previously resected metastatic melanoma
tissue available (i.e., paraffin block or unstained slides)

- No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

- ECOG performance status 0-2

- Life expectancy ≥ 12 weeks

- Absolute granulocytes count ≥ 1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

- Bilirubin normal

- Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

- AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN

- Negative pregnancy test

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception during study therapy

- No uncontrolled intercurrent illness or condition including, but not limited to, any
of the following:

- Ongoing or active infection

- Symptomatic congestive heart failure

- Unstable angina pectoris

- Cardiac arrhythmia

- Psychiatric illness or social situation that would limit compliance with study
requirements

- No history of hemolysis or a hemolytic disorder including, but not limited to, any of
the following:

- Sickle cell anemia

- Thalassemia

- Autoimmune hemolytic anemia

- No history of other malignancies within the past 5 years except adequately treated
nonmelanoma skin cancer, curatively treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or other
solid tumors curatively treated with no evidence of disease

- No known HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C infection

- Patients must reside within a 2-hour drive from a participating center

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- No previous systemic therapy for metastatic disease

- At least 3 months since prior adjuvant immunotherapy for recurrent melanoma

- No prior immunotherapy for metastatic disease

- No prior immunotherapy outside the adjuvant setting

- At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery

- At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy except low-dose, nonmyelosuppressive
radiotherapy and recovered

- More than 4 weeks since prior and no concurrent investigational agents or anticancer
therapy

- No prior chemotherapy including regional therapy

- No concurrent systemic corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone or dexamethasone)

- Concurrent topical steroids are allowed