Interleukin-12 Followed by Interferon Alfa in Treating Patients With Advanced Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed residual, recurrent, or metastatic malignant melanoma or other advanced malignancies
• Must have failed standard curative and/or palliative therapies
• No brain or central nervous system metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age: 13 and over
• Performance status: Karnofsky 70-100%
• Life expectancy: At least 12 weeks
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL (may be posttransfusion or may receive erythropoietin)
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• SGOT and SGPT no greater than 2 times ULN
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min
• Calcium no greater than 11 mg/dL (may receive agents to decrease calcium)
• No significant cardiovascular disease
• No cardiac arrhythmia requiring drug or device intervention
• No history of significant peripheral neuropathy
• No significant central nervous system disease
• HIV negative Hepatitis B surface antigen negative
• No concurrent serious infection requiring intravenous antibiotic therapy
• No clinically significant autoimmune disease (i.e., rheumatoid arthritis)
• No clinically significant gastrointestinal bleeding or uncontrolled peptic ulcer disease
• No history of inflammatory bowel disease
• No other major illness that substantially increases the risk associated with participation in this study
• Not pregnant or nursing Effective contraception required of all fertile patients
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• At least 4 weeks since prior biologic therapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy
• No concurrent systemic corticosteroids
• At least 2 weeks since prior local radiotherapy
• At least 2 weeks since surgery Other: At least 4 weeks since prior investigational drug