Adjuvant Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Resected Desmoplastic Melanoma

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. Assess the recurrence rates in patients with desmoplastic melanoma (DM) \>= 1 mm deep treated with adjuvant radiotherapy after surgical resection. II. Assess recurrence rates in patients with locally recurrent DM treated with adjuvant radiotherapy after surgical resection. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. Evaluate the impact of adjuvant radiation therapy after surgical resection on disease free and overall survival. II. Evaluate the immediate and long-term morbidity of the addition of radiotherapy to surgery. OUTLINE: Within 8 weeks after surgical resection, patients undergo radiation therapy twice weekly over approximately 2.5 weeks for a total of 5 fractions in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed every 3 months for 2 years and then every 6 months for 3 years.