Imiquimod and Laser Therapy With or Without a Green Dye in Treating Patients With Stage III or Stage IV Melanoma That Has Spread to Other Parts of the Skin

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed melanoma meeting the following criteria:
• * Stage III or IV disease
• * Stage IV disease without observable, surgically unresectable metastases beyond the immediate treatment site allowed
• * Presence of 1 or more cutaneous metastases ≤ 3 cm in size
• * Diffuse areas of tumor involvement can be used to qualify for the study if these areas involve primarily the epidermis and/or dermis and are less than 3 cm in thickness
• No uncontrolled brain metastases
• * Treated brain metastases that are stable for 3 months allowed at the investigator's discretion
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• ECOG performance status 0-2
• Life expectancy ≥ 4 months
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 1 month after study completion
• No known allergy to any drugs used during study treatment
• No unstable medical illness
• Not immunosuppressed
• * Patients immunosuppressed due to disease (e.g., HIV positive) allowed
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• No systemic steroids or any other immunosuppressive medications within the past month
• No chemotherapy within the past 4 weeks
• No radiotherapy to the treatment site within the past 4 weeks
• * Palliative radiotherapy to sites other than cutaneous treatment and assessment sites allowed
• No concurrent immunosuppressive agents