Bortezomib, Paclitaxel, and Carboplatin in Treating Patients With Metastatic Melanoma

You may be eligible if

• Criteria:
• No uncontrolled intercurrent illness including any of the following: ongoing or active infection; symptomatic congestive heart failure; unstable angina pectoris; cardiac arrhythmia
• No psychiatric illness that would limit compliance with study requirements
• No other uncontrolled serious medical conditions (e.g., diabetes)
• No more than 1 prior cytotoxic chemotherapy regimen
• No more than 2 prior immunotherapy regimens either in adjuvant or metastatic setting
• At least 4 weeks since prior major radiotherapy or chemotherapy
• At least 8 weeks since prior monoclonal antibody therapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy or biologic therapy
• At least 3 weeks since prior surgery
• Recovered from prior therapies
• No prior therapy with bortezomib, paclitaxel, or carboplatin
• No other prior or concurrent chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, or any other therapy or supportive care considered investigational
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
• No concurrent prophylactic colony-stimulating factors
• Histologically confirmed malignant melanoma
• Patients with significant fluid retention, including ascites or pleural effusion, may be allowed at the discretion of the principal investigator
• No known brain metastases by brain imaging with contrast
• Absolute neutrophil count \>= 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count \>= 100,000/mm\^3
• Routine urine analysis with predicted 24-hour urine protein \< 500 mg OR 1+ proteinuria by urine dipstick with 24-hour urine protein \< 500 mg
• Total bilirubin \< 1.5 mg/dL
• AST =\< 3 times ULN
• Creatinine =\< 1.5 times ULN
• ECOG performance status (PS) 0, 1, or 2 (Karnofsky PS \>= 60%)
• Life expectancy by physician estimate \> 12 weeks
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after completion of study treatment
• Negative pregnancy test
• No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to bortezomib
• No peripheral neuropathy \>= grade 2
• Manifestations of stage IV disease (e.g., cutaneous, uveal)
• All melanomas, regardless of origin, allowed
• Measurable disease, defined as at least one lesion whose longest diameter can be accurately measured as \>= 2.0 cm with conventional techniques or as \>= 1.0 cm with spiral CT scan
• No nonmeasurable disease only, including any of the following: bone lesions, leptomeningeal disease, ascites, pleural/pericardial effusion, inflammatory breast disease, lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis, abdominal masses that are not confirmed and followed by imaging techniques, cystic lesions
• Hemoglobin \>= 9.0 g/dL