Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically proven primary or recurrent in-transit melanoma of the extremity

- Stage IIIB or IIIC disease, as determined by whole body imaging with a CT scan
of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis AND PET scan within the past 4 weeks

- Patients with stage IIIC disease must have undergone removal of regional
lymph nodes

- Patients with indeterminate staging must be reviewed by the study chairs
prior to study registration

- Previously treated with melphalan-based regional therapy and had persistent disease
at 3 months OR achieved a complete response but disease recurred within 6 months

- Disease to be treated by regional therapy must be distal to the planned site of
tourniquet placement

- Bidimensionally measurable disease by caliper or a radiological method as defined by
the RECIST criteria modified for cutaneous lesions

- Photo documentation required

- Patients with a single lesion must have archived tumor tissue available for
study analysis

- No history of tumors with clinically significant evidence of active bleeding (e.g.,
gross hemoptysis, hematemesis, hematuria, melena, or bleeding superficial tumor)
within the past 12 weeks

- No stage IV disease

- No cerebral metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

- ECOG/Zubrod performance status 0-1

- Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL

- WBC ≥ 3,000/mm^3

- Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

- Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL

- Bilirubin normal

- AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times normal

- Must have a palpable femoral/axillary pulse in the affected extremity

- No uncontrolled seizures or clinically significant CNS disorders

- No psychiatric condition or diminished capacity that could preclude study compliance
or giving informed consent

- No history of allergic reactions and/or hypersensitivity to melphalan

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No history of other malignancies except adequately treated basal cell or squamous
cell carcinoma of the skin; curatively treated carcinoma in situ of the uterine
cervix, prostate cancer, or superficial bladder cancer; or other curatively treated
solid tumors with no evidence of disease for ≥ 5 years

- No stroke or other major tissue injury within the past 4 weeks

- No other uncontrolled serious chronic disease or condition that, in the
investigator's opinion, could preclude study compliance or follow-up

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- See Disease Characteristics

- Recovered from prior therapy

- More than 4 weeks since prior major surgery

- Wound healing adequate since last major surgery

- More than 4 weeks since prior antineoplastic therapy, radiotherapy, or any other
investigational drug

- More than 7 days since prior antimicrobial agents (i.e., antibiotic, antifungal, or
antiviral agents) for active infection or infectious symptoms

- No drugs that are known to cause enhanced glutathione depletion (e.g., acetaminophen)
for 7 days before, during, and for 7 days after buthionine sulfoximine (BSO)
administration

- No cephalosporin antibiotics for 7 days before, during, and for 7 days after BSO
administration