Laboratory-Treated Autologous Lymphocytes and Aldesleukin After Cyclophosphamide and Fludarabine in Treating Patients With Metastatic Melanoma

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Diagnosis of metastatic melanoma
• Refractory to standard treatment including high-dose aldesleukin (IL-2), unless previously ineligible for or refused IL-2
• Measurable disease with ≥ 1 lesion that is resectable for tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte generation
• Patients with ≥ 1 brain metastases \< 1 cm each, or 1-2 brain metastases \> 1 cm are eligible provided they have been treated and stable for ≥ 3 months
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• ECOG performance status 0-1
• Life expectancy \> 3 months
• ANC \> 1,000/mm\^3 (without filgrastim support)
• WBC \> 3,000/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin \> 8.0 g/dL
• Platelet count \> 100,000/mm\^3
• Serum ALT/AST \< 3 times upper limit of normal
• Total bilirubin ≤ 2 mg/dL (\< 3 mg/dL in patients with Gilbert's syndrome)
• Serum creatinine ≤ 1.6 mg/dL
• LVEF \> 45% in patients meeting the following criteria:
• * Clinically significant atrial and/or ventricular arrhythmias, including, but not limited to, atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, or second- or third-degree heart block
• * At least 60 years of age
• FEV\_1 \> 60% in patients meeting the following criteria:
• * Prolonged history of cigarette smoking
• * Symptoms of respiratory dysfunction
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 4 months after completion of study treatment
• No HIV or hepatitis B or C positivity
• No form of primary immunodeficiency (e.g., severe combined immunodeficiency disease or AIDS)
• No opportunistic infections
• No active systemic infections
• No history of severe immediate hypersensitivity reaction to any of the agents used in this study
• No coagulation disorders
• No myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmias, or positive stress thallium or comparable test
• No history of coronary revascularization or ischemic symptoms
• No obstructive or restrictive pulmonary disease
• No other active major medical illness of the cardiovascular, respiratory, or immune system
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from prior therapy (alopecia or vitiligo allowed)
• At least 6 weeks since prior ipilimumab
• * Must have normal colonoscopy with normal colonic biopsies
• At least 4 weeks since prior systemic therapy
• Minor surgical procedures within the past 3 weeks allowed provided all toxicities have recovered to ≤ grade 1
• No concurrent systemic steroids
• No other concurrent experimental agents