Carboplatin and ABI-007 in Treating Patients With Stage IV Melanoma That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically or cytologically confirmed unresectable stage IV melanoma
• Measurable disease
• Must have formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor tissue available for secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) analysis pre-treatment (Mayo Clinic patients must be willing to submit a repeat biopsy at time of tumor progression)
• Brain metastases allowed provided they were previously treated with no progression for ≥ 3 months
• * Patients with known brain metastases may receive concurrent steroid treatment
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• ECOG performance status 0-2
• Life expectancy ≥ 3 months
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL (may be transfused to meet this requirement)
• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN (elevated bilirubin allowed in patients with documented Gilbert's syndrome)
• AST ≤ 2.5 times ULN
• Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 1 month after completion of study therapy
• No uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, the following:
• * Active infection
• * Congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association class III-IV heart disease)
• No peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin previously treated with local resection only or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from prior therapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior interferon or interleukin-2
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (cohort 1 )
• No prior chemotherapy in the metastatic setting (cohort 2)
• No prior treatment for melanoma with any of the following agents:
• * Platinum chemotherapy (e.g., carboplatin or cisplatin)
• * Taxanes (e.g., paclitaxel or docetaxel)
• * Paclitaxel albumin-stabilized nanoparticle formulation (ABI-007)
• No other concurrent chemotherapy
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No concurrent radiotherapy, including palliative radiotherapy