Interleukin-12 and Interferon Alfa in Treating Patients With Metastatic Malignant Melanoma

Inclusion Criteria:

Histological or cytological diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma and clinical evidence of distant, metastatic, non-resectable regional lymphatic, or extensive in transit recurrent disease

Patients must have measurable disease; measurable disease is defined as the presence of at least one measurable lesion; if the measurable disease is restricted to a solitary lesion, its neoplastic nature should be confirmed by cytology/histology; measurable lesions are defined as lesions that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension with the longest diameter >= 20 mm using conventional techniques or >= 10 mm with spiral CT scan

Lesions that are considered intrinsically non-measurable include the following:

Bone lesions;
Leptomeningeal disease;
Ascites;
Pleural/pericardial effusion;
Inflammatory breast disease;
Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis;
Abdominal masses that are not confirmed and followed by imaging techniques;
Lytic lesions;
Lesions that are situated in a previously irradiated area
No history of peripheral neuropathy, brain metastases or other central nervous system disease
No history of/active autoimmune disease, hemolytic anemia or concurrent requirement for corticosteroids, including topical or inhaled
No hepatitis BSAg, known HIV disease or other major active illness; patients with risk factors for HIV should be tested; patients with these illnesses are more likely to experience significant side effects from the study treatment
No history of severe peptic ulcer disease or gastrointestinal bleeding unless there is objective evidence that the condition is inactive or resolved
No uncontrolled or severe cardiovascular disease, diabetes, pulmonary disease, or infection
No chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or anti-hormonal therapy within three weeks prior to the initiation of therapy on this study
No prior therapy with IL-12
No prior therapy with IFN-alpha for metastatic disease (e.g., biochemotherapy); prior adjuvant therapy with IFN-a is acceptable as long as the patient remained disease-free for 12 months or longer following the last IFN-a treatment
No prior cytokine therapy for metastatic disease (e.g., high-dose IL-2)
No more than one prior chemotherapy regimen
CTC (ECOG) performance status 0-1
Non-pregnant, non-nursing; treatment under this protocol would expose an unborn child to significant risks; women and men of reproductive potential should agree to use an effective means of birth control; women of child-bearing age will undergo pregnancy testing
ANC >= 1500/μL
Platelets >= 100,000/μL
Hemoglobin > 9 g/dL (may be post transfusion or may receive EPO)
U-HCG or Serum HCG Negative (if patient of child-bearing potential)