Dacarbazine With or Without Oblimersen (G3139) in Treating Patients With Advanced Malignant Melanoma

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed malignant melanoma
• * Progressive disease that is unresectable or metastatic
• No primary ocular or mucosal melanoma
• At least 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion by physical exam or imaging studies
• * At least 10 mm by caliper for superficial cutaneous disease
• * At least 20 mm by contrast-enhanced or spiral CT scan for visceral or nodal/soft tissue disease
• * No bone metastases as only site of measurable disease
• * Lesions considered non-measurable include the following:
• * Bone lesions
• * Pleural/pericardial effusion
• * Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis
• * Abdominal masses that are not confirmed and followed by imaging
• * Lesions located in a previously irradiated area
• No brain metastases or leptomeningeal disease
• Considered a medical candidate for dacarbazine treatment
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• Any age
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic:
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin at least 8 g/dL (hematopoietic growth factor or transfusion independent)
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• ALT/AST no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• Albumin at least 2.5 g/dL
• PT/PTT no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• No history of chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN OR
• Creatinine clearance at least 50 mL/min
• Cardiovascular:
• No uncontrolled congestive heart failure
• No New York Heart Association class III or IV disease
• No symptomatic coronary artery disease (e.g., uncontrolled arrhythmias or recurrent chest pain despite prophylactic medication)
• No cardiovascular signs and symptoms at least grade 2 within the past 4 weeks
• Other:
• Intellectually, emotionally, and physically able to maintain an ambulatory infusion pump
• Satisfactory venous access
• No other significant medical disease
• No uncontrolled seizure disorder
• No active infection
• No uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
• No active autoimmune disease
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No known hypersensitivity to phosphorothioate-containing oligonucleotides or dacarbazine
• No known HIV infection
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy, cytokine, biologic, or vaccine therapy in the adjuvant and/or metastatic setting and recovered
• No concurrent prophylactic growth factors (e.g., filgrastim \[G-CSF\], sargramostim \[GM-CSF\] or epoetin alfa) during course 1 of study
• Chemotherapy:
• No prior cytotoxic chemotherapy, including regional perfusion
• Endocrine therapy:
• No concurrent chronic corticosteroids with an average dose of at least 20 mg of prednisone or equivalent per day
• Radiotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• No prior radiotherapy to measurable target lesions unless progression occurred at that site or measurable disease developed outside the treated area
• Surgery:
• At least 4 weeks since prior surgery and recovered
• No prior organ allografts
• Other:
• At least 3 weeks since prior experimental therapy
• No prior intratumoral injection therapy to measurable target lesions unless progression occurred at that site or measurable disease developed outside the treated area
• No concurrent immunosuppressive drugs
• No concurrent anticoagulation therapy except 1 mg/day of warfarin for central line prophylaxis