Combination Chemotherapy With or Without Interleukin-2 and Interferon Alfa in Treating Patients With Metastatic Melanoma
Melanoma (Skin)

About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Melanoma (Skin) focused on measuring stage IV melanoma
Eligibility Criteria
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed surgically incurable metastatic malignant melanoma Measurable disease No active brain metastases or edema No leptomeningeal disease No ocular melanoma PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3 Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL SGOT less than 3 times the upper limit of normal unless due to liver metastases Renal: Creatinine less than 1.5 mg/dL OR Creatinine clearance at least 75 mL/min Cardiovascular: No congestive heart failure No symptoms of coronary artery disease No serious cardiac arrhythmias No prior myocardial infarction on EKG Normal cardiac stress test required for the following: Over 50 years of age Abnormal EKG Prior history of cardiac disease Pulmonary: No symptomatic pulmonary disease FEV1 greater than 2.0 L OR at least 75% predicted if over 50 years of age or with history of pulmonary symptoms Other: Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception No significant infection HIV negative No other prior malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix No organ allografts No significant disease other than malignancy No seizure disorder PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: No prior interleukin-2 therapy for metastatic disease At least 4 weeks since prior vaccine therapy At least 4 weeks since prior adjuvant immunotherapy Chemotherapy: No prior chemotherapy for disease Endocrine therapy: No concurrent corticosteroids Radiotherapy: No prior radiation therapy to measurable disease site unless disease is clearly progressive At least 4 weeks since prior radiation therapy for local control or palliation and recovered Surgery: Recovered from prior surgery Other: No prior systemic therapy for metastatic disease At least 3 months since definitive therapy for brain metastases
Sites / Locations
- MBCCOP - Gulf Coast
- CCOP - Greater Phoenix
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Phoenix (Carl T. Hayden)
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Tucson
- Arizona Cancer Center
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Little Rock (McClellan)
- Cancer Center and Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope
- USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Hospital
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - West Los Angeles
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA
- Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic - Martinez
- CCOP - Bay Area Tumor Institute
- Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
- University of California Davis Medical Center
- UCSF Cancer Center and Cancer Research Institute
- CCOP - Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital
- David Grant Medical Center
- University of Colorado Cancer Center
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Denver
- CCOP - Atlanta Regional
- Dwight David Eisenhower Army Medical Center
- Cancer Research Center of Hawaii
- MBCCOP - University of Illinois at Chicago
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Chicago (Westside Hospital)
- CCOP - Central Illinois
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Hines (Hines Junior VA Hospital)
- Loyola University Medical Center
- University of Kansas Medical Center
- CCOP - Wichita
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Wichita
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Lexington
- Albert B. Chandler Medical Center, University of Kentucky
- MBCCOP - LSU Health Sciences Center
- Tulane University School of Medicine
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Shreveport
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Shreveport
- Boston Medical Center
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Boston (Jamaica Plain)
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Ann Arbor
- CCOP - Ann Arbor Regional
- University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Detroit
- Henry Ford Hospital
- Providence Hospital - Southfield
- CCOP - Duluth
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Biloxi
- University of Mississippi Medical Center
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Jackson
- Keesler Medical Center - Keesler AFB
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Kansas City
- CCOP - Kansas City
- St. Louis University Health Sciences Center
- CCOP - St. Louis-Cape Girardeau
- CCOP - Cancer Research for the Ozarks
- CCOP - Montana Cancer Consortium
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Albuquerque
- MBCCOP - University of New Mexico HSC
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Albany
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center
- University of Rochester Medical Center
- CCOP - Southeast Cancer Control Consortium
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Cincinnati
- Barrett Cancer Center, The University Hospital
- Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center
- CCOP - Columbus
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Dayton
- CCOP - Dayton
- CCOP - Toledo Community Hospital Oncology Program
- Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Oklahoma City
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Portland
- CCOP - Columbia River Program
- OHSU Cancer Institute
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Charleston
- Medical University of South Carolina
- CCOP - Greenville
- CCOP - Upstate Carolina
- Simmons Cancer Center - Dallas
- Brooke Army Medical Center
- University of Texas Medical Branch
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Houston
- University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - San Antonio (Murphy)
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Temple
- CCOP - Scott and White Hospital
- Huntsman Cancer Institute
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Salt Lake City
- CCOP - Virginia Mason Research Center
- Swedish Cancer Institute
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Seattle
- CCOP - Northwest
- Madigan Army Medical Center