Sorafenib and Temozolomide in Treating Patients With Stage III or Stage IV Melanoma

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Diagnosis of unresectable or metastatic melanoma
• * Stage III or IV disease
• Previously treated or untreated metastatic disease
• At least one unidimensionally measurable lesion by RECIST criteria by scan or MRI
• No concurrent brain or CNS metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• WHO performance status 0-1
• Life expectancy ≥ 3 months
• ANC ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin \> 9 g/dL
• PT, INR, and PTT \< 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Transaminases \< 2.5 times ULN (\< 5 in the case of liver metastases)
• Amylase and lipase \< 1.5 times ULN
• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• Serum creatinine \< 1.5 times ULN
• Normal respiratory, cardiac, and neurological function
• Not pregnant or nursing
• No history of any of the following cardiac conditions:
• * NYHA class II-IV heart failure
• * Coronary disease
• * Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• * Cardiac arrhythmia requiring treatment with something other than beta-blockers or digoxin
• * Severe uncontrolled hypertension
• No severe active infection \> grade 2
• No epilepsy requiring medical treatment
• No other cancer except for carcinoma in situ of the cervix, basal cell carcinoma, superficial bladder tumors, or curatively treated cancer \> 3 years ago
• No HIV or hepatitis B or C positivity
• No lactase or galactokinase deficiency, galactose intolerance, or disease accompanied by malabsorption of glucose or galactose
• No allergy to the study drugs or to dacarbazine
• Able to swallow medications
• No patients deprived of liberty
• No psychological, familial, social, or geographic conditions that would preclude clinical follow up
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior organ transplantation
• No prior temozolomide or sorafenib tosylate
• More than 30 days since other prior antitumor chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormonal therapy, or investigational agent
• More than 30 days since prior study drugs
• More than 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• More than 3 weeks since prior biological response modifiers (i.e., filgrastim \[G-CSF\])