Bevacizumab With or Without Interferon Alfa in Treating Patients With Metastatic Malignant Melanoma

You may be eligible if

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed cutaneous malignant melanoma
• * Must meet one of the following criteria:
• * Clinical evidence of metastatic disease
• * Unresectable regional lymphatic disease
• * Extensive in transit recurrent disease
• Measurable disease
• * At least 20 mm by conventional techniques OR at least 10 mm by spiral computed tomography (CT) scan
• No known brain metastases
• No ocular melanoma
• Performance status - Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) 0-2
• Performance status - Karnofsky 60-100%
• More than 6 months
• White blood cells (WBC) at least 3,000/mm\^3
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• No clinical evidence of coagulopathy
• Bilirubin =\< 2.0 mg/dL (3.0 mg/dL for patients with Gilbert's disease provided patient is stable and asymptomatic)
• Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Prothrombin time (PT)/International normalized ratio (INR) less than 1.5
• Creatinine =\< 1.5 mg/dL
• Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min
• Protein \< 1,000 mg on 24-hour urine collection for patients with proteinuria \>= 1+
• No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• No unstable angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmia
• No history of thrombosis (e.g., deep vein thrombosis), unless the following criteria are met:
• * INR in normal range (usually 2-3) AND on a stable dose of warfarin or low molecular weight heparin
• * No active bleeding or pathologic condition that would confer a high risk of bleeding (e.g., known varices or tumor involving major vessels)
• No uncontrolled hypertension
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No prior allergic reactions to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to bevacizumab or interferon alfa
• No ongoing or active infection
• No other concurrent uncontrolled illness
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) allowed provided otherwise well
• At least 4 weeks since prior adjuvant interferon alfa
• No prior interferon alfa for metastatic disease
• No prior cytokine therapy for metastatic disease (e.g., high-dose interleukin-2 \[IL-2\])
• * Prior IL-2 allowed for patients randomized to arm III only
• No prior investigational antiangiogenic agents
• No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen for metastatic disease
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• No other concurrent investigational agents