Isolated Limb Infusion of Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Melanoma or Soft Tissue Sarcoma of the Arm or Leg That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Infusing chemotherapy to the tumor area only may kill more tumor cells and cause less damage to healthy tissues. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying isolated limb infusion of chemotherapy to see how well it works in treating patients with melanoma or soft tissue sarcoma of the arm or leg that cannot be removed by surgery.

OBJECTIVES: * Determine the efficacy of isolated limb infusion (ILI) with melphalan and dactinomycin in patients with primary or recurrent, unresectable regional melanoma or soft tissue sarcoma of the extremity. * Determine the morbidity of patients treated with this regimen. * Determine the expression of melanoma-associated antigens as well as cellular and humoral immune responses to these antigens in patients with regional disease. OUTLINE: Patients undergo fluoroscopic placement of angiographic arterial and venous catheters into the appropriate extremity. After the limb is warmed, melphalan and dactinomycin are rapidly infused into the isolated limb via the arterial catheter. Melphalan and dactinomycin are then recirculated for 20 minutes. Patients with little or no response at 8 weeks may receive up to 2 additional treatments at the discretion of the treating physician. Patients are followed at 1-2 weeks, 3-4 weeks, 6-8 weeks, and then every 3-6 months thereafter as deemed necessary by the treating physician. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 35 patients will be accrued for this study within 3 years.