Inclusion Criteria

INCLUSION CRITERIA:

1. Age > 18 years.

2. Histologically or cytologically confirmed unresectable (stage III) or metastatic
(stage IV) melanoma for whom treatment with dacarbazine is considered medically
acceptable.

3. No prior chemotherapy.

4. ECOG Performance Status of 0 or 1.

5. Life expectancy of at least 12 weeks.

6. Subjects with at least one uni-dimensional (for RECIST) or bi-dimensional (for WHO)
measurable lesion. Lesions must be measured by CT-scan or MRI.

7. Adequate bone marrow, liver and renal function as assessed by the following
laboratory requirements to be conducted within 7 days prior to screening: Hemoglobin
>= 9.0 g/dl. Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) >=1,500/mm3. Platelet count
>=100,000/ìl. Total bilirubin <= 1.5 times the upper limit of normal. ALT and AST <=
2.5 x upper limit of normal (< 5 x upper limit of normal for patients with liver
involvement of their cancer). Alkaline phosphatase < 4 x ULN. PT-INR/PTT < 1.5 x
upper limit of normal [Patients who are being therapeutically anticoagulated with an
agent such as coumadin or heparin will be allowed to participate provided that no
prior evidence of underlying abnormality in these parameters exists]. Serum
creatinine <= 1.5 x upper limit of normal.

8. Signed and dated informed consent before the start of specific protocol procedures.

9. Baseline serum LDH level > 1.1 ULN.

10. Assessable metastases (Skin or superficial lymph nodes, minimal diameter 1 cm)

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

1. History of cardiac disease: congestive heart failure > NYHA class

2. active CAD (MI more than 6 months prior to study entry is allowed); cardiac
arrhythmias requiring anti-arrhythmic therapy (beta blockers or digoxin are
permitted) or uncontrolled hypertension.

3. History of HIV infection or chronic hepatitis B or C.

4. Active clinically serious infections (> grade 2 NCI-CTC version 3.0).

5. Symptomatic metastatic brain or meningeal tumors (unless the patient is > 6 months
from definitive therapy, has a negative imaging study within 4 weeks of study entry
and is clinically stable with respect to the tumor at the time of study entry).

6. Patients with seizure disorder requiring medication (such as steroids or
anti-epileptics).

7. History of organ allograft.

8. Patients with evidence or history of bleeding diathesis.

9. Patients undergoing renal dialysis.

10. Previous or concurrent cancer that is distinct in primary site or histology from the
cancer being evaluated in this study EXCEPT cervical carcinoma in situ, treated basal
cell carcinoma, superficial bladder tumors [Ta, Tis & T1] or any cancer curatively
treated > 3 years prior to study entry.

11. Primary ocular melanoma