Temozolomide and Sunitinib Malate in Treating Patients With Stage III or Stage IV Malignant Melanoma

OBJECTIVES: Primary * Assess the maximum tolerated dose of sunitinib malate when administered concurrently with temozolomide in patients with stage IIIC or IV malignant melanoma. (Phase I) * Assess the overall safety of this regimen in these patients. (Phase I) * Determine the response rate in patients treated with this regimen. (Phase II) Phase II was never conducted due to toxicity in phase I. Secondary * Determine the response rate in patients treated with this regimen. (Phase I) * Determine the safety and tolerability of this regimen in these patients. (Phase II) * Determine the progression-free survival of patients treated with this regimen. * Determine the overall survival of patients treated with this regimen. OUTLINE: This is a phase I, dose-escalation study of sunitinib malate followed by a phase II study. Patients receive oral sunitinib malate once daily and oral temozolomide once daily on days 1-42. Treatment repeats every 56 days for up to 1 year in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study therapy, patients are followed up very 6 months for up to 5 years. Phase II was never conducted due to toxicity in phase I.