High-Dose Interferon Alfa in Treating Patients With Stage II or Stage III Melanoma

OBJECTIVES: Primary Objective: * Compare the effect of high-dose interferon alfa-2b treatment on the relapse-free survival of patients with stage II or III resected malignant melanoma. Secondary Objectives: * Compare the effect of this treatment regimen on overall survival of these patients. * Assess the toxicity of this treatment in these patients. * Compare the effect of treatment on quality of life. OUTLINE: This is a randomized study. Patients are stratified by pathologic lymph node status (known vs unknown),lymph node staging procedures(sentinel lymph node procedure vs. elective lymph node dissection vs. no lymphadenectomy), Breslow depth (\<= 1.0 mm vs. 1.01-2.0 mm vs. 2.01-4.0 mm vs \> 4.0 mm), ulceration of the primary lesion (yes vs. no vs. unknown), and disease stage (lymph node positive \[N1, N2a\] vs. lymph node negative \[N0\]). Patients are randomized into one of two treatment arms in a 1:1 ratio. * Arm I (observation): Patients undergo observation for 4 weeks. * Arm II (Interferon Alfa-2b): Patients receive high-dose interferon alfa-2b intravenously (IV) over 20 minutes daily for 5 consecutive days. Treatment repeats weekly for 4 weeks in the absence of unacceptable toxicity. Quality of life is assessed before treatment, at day 22, every 3 months for 2 years, and then every 6 months for 3 years. Patients are followed every 3 months for 2 years, every 6 months for 3 years, and then annually thereafter until 15 years after randomization. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 1,420 patients will be accrued for this study over 5 years.