Interferon Alfa and Thalidomide in Treating Patients With Stage IV Melanoma

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically confirmed stage IV malignant melanoma
• •* Surgically incurable disease
• •Measurable or evaluable disease
• •No brain metastases by CT scan or MRI
• •* Prior brain metastases allowed only if completely resected and treated with whole brain radiotherapy
• •Must have received 1, and only 1, prior systemic therapy for metastatic disease
• •* Chemotherapy, biologic/immunotherapy, hormonal therapy, or combination therapy
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age:
• •Adult
• •Performance status:
• •Zubrod 0-2
• •Life expectancy:
• •Not specified
• •Hematopoietic:
• •Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,000/mm\^3
• •Platelet count at least 75,000/mm\^3
• •Hepatic:
• •SGOT and/or SGPT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• •Bilirubin no greater than ULN
• •Renal:
• •Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• •Other:
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use 2 methods of effective contraception 4 weeks before, during, and for 4 weeks after study
• •HIV negative
• •No AIDS or HIV-1-associated complex
• •No other serious illness
• •No serious active infections
• •No sensory neuropathy greater than grade 1
• •No prior seizures or concurrent potential risk factors for the development of seizures
• •No other prior malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or adequately treated stage I or II cancer currently in complete remission
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •At least 21 days since prior biologic therapy or immunotherapy in the adjuvant or metastatic setting and recovered
• •No concurrent filgrastim (G-CSF)
• •No other concurrent biologic therapy
• •Chemotherapy:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •At least 21 days since prior chemotherapy in the adjuvant or metastatic setting and recovered
• •No concurrent chemotherapy
• •Endocrine therapy:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •At least 21 days since prior hormonal therapy in the adjuvant or metastatic setting and recovered
• •No concurrent hormonal therapy
• •No concurrent systemic steroids (including creams)
• •Radiotherapy:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •At least 21 days since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• •Prior radiotherapy to all known sites of disease allowed if there is objective evidence of progression
• •No concurrent radiotherapy
• •Surgery:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •At least 21 days since prior surgery for primary or metastatic disease and recovered
• •No concurrent surgery
• •Other:
• •At least 21 days since prior systemic therapy or combination regimen for metastatic disease and recovered
• •At least 21 days since prior adjuvant isolation limb perfusion therapy and recovered
• •No other concurrent therapy
• •No other concurrent investigational drugs
• •No concurrent immunosuppressive medications
• •Concurrent antihistamines allowed if no alternative medication available