Temozolomide and Interferon Alfa in Treating Patients With Stage III or Stage IV Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed malignant melanoma

Unresectable stage III or stage IV disease
Ocular, mucosal, or cutaneous melanoma
Measurable disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

18 and over

Performance status:

Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy:

Not specified

Hematopoietic:

Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm^3
Platelet count at least 150,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
SGOT/SGPT no greater than 3 times ULN
Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 3 times ULN

Renal:

Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN OR
Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

No history of severe cardiovascular disease
No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
No unstable angina
No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease (congestive heart failure)
No ventricular tachyarrhythmias

Other:

Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception
HIV negative
No AIDS-related illness
No frequent vomiting or other medical condition that would preclude oral medication intake (e.g., partial bowel obstruction)
No serious infection requiring IV antibiotics
No psychiatric disorder requiring ongoing therapy or medication
No nonmalignant illness or other medical condition that would preclude study
No other active malignancy within the past 2 years except non-melanoma skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or T1a or b prostate cancer detected initially during transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) (comprising less than 5% of resected tissue) with PSA level normal since TURP

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

At least 4 weeks since prior biologic therapy or immunotherapy and recovered
No concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy:

No prior dacarbazine
No prior temozolomide
No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

No concurrent systemic corticosteroids

Radiotherapy:

At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy, interstitial brachytherapy, or radiosurgery
At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy to the brain for brain metastases
Prior radiotherapy to indicator lesions allowed if there is evidence of disease progression
Recovered from prior radiotherapy
No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

At least 2 weeks since prior surgical procedure requiring general anesthesia and recovered