Laboratory-Treated Autologous Lymphocytes and Aldesleukin After Cyclophosphamide and Fludarabine in Treating Patients With Metastatic Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Diagnosis of metastatic melanoma
Refractory to standard treatment including high-dose aldesleukin (IL-2), unless previously ineligible for or refused IL-2
Measurable disease with ≥ 1 lesion that is resectable for tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte generation
Patients with ≥ 1 brain metastases < 1 cm each, or 1-2 brain metastases > 1 cm are eligible provided they have been treated and stable for ≥ 3 months

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

ECOG performance status 0-1
Life expectancy > 3 months
ANC > 1,000/mm^3 (without filgrastim support)
WBC > 3,000/mm^3
Hemoglobin > 8.0 g/dL
Platelet count > 100,000/mm^3
Serum ALT/AST < 3 times upper limit of normal
Total bilirubin ≤ 2 mg/dL (< 3 mg/dL in patients with Gilbert's syndrome)
Serum creatinine ≤ 1.6 mg/dL

LVEF > 45% in patients meeting the following criteria:

Clinically significant atrial and/or ventricular arrhythmias, including, but not limited to, atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, or second- or third-degree heart block
At least 60 years of age

FEV_1 > 60% in patients meeting the following criteria:

Prolonged history of cigarette smoking
Symptoms of respiratory dysfunction
Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 4 months after completion of study treatment
No HIV or hepatitis B or C positivity
No form of primary immunodeficiency (e.g., severe combined immunodeficiency disease or AIDS)
No opportunistic infections
No active systemic infections
No history of severe immediate hypersensitivity reaction to any of the agents used in this study
No coagulation disorders
No myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmias, or positive stress thallium or comparable test
No history of coronary revascularization or ischemic symptoms
No obstructive or restrictive pulmonary disease
No other active major medical illness of the cardiovascular, respiratory, or immune system

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

See Disease Characteristics
Recovered from prior therapy (alopecia or vitiligo allowed)

At least 6 weeks since prior ipilimumab

Must have normal colonoscopy with normal colonic biopsies
At least 4 weeks since prior systemic therapy
Minor surgical procedures within the past 3 weeks allowed provided all toxicities have recovered to ≤ grade 1
No concurrent systemic steroids
No other concurrent experimental agents