PEG-Interferon Alfa-2b and Thalidomide in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Melanoma

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed malignant melanoma, including any of the following:
• * Cutaneous melanoma
• * Ocular melanoma
• * Mucosal melanoma
• * Unidentified primary tumor
• Recurrent or metastatic disease
• Bidimensionally measurable or evaluable disease
• Brain metastases allowed provided disease is stable for ≥ 6 weeks after prior radiotherapy
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• SWOG 0-2
• Life expectancy
• At least 12 weeks
• Hematopoietic
• Absolute granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• SGOT ≤ 2 times ULN
• Renal
• Creatinine ≤ 2 mg/dL
• Cardiovascular
• None of the following conditions within the past 3 months:
• * Congestive heart failure
• * Second- or third-degree heart block
• * Myocardial infarction
• Other
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective double-method contraception (1 highly effective and 1 additional method) for ≥ 4 weeks before, during, and for ≥ 4 weeks after completion of study treatment
• No other malignancy within the past 2 years except adequately treated skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No concurrent blood, sperm, or ova donation
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• Prior biologic therapy (e.g., interferon) allowed
• Chemotherapy
• Not specified
• Endocrine therapy
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 28 days since prior radiotherapy
• Surgery
• At least 28 days since prior surgery
• Other
• No more than 2 prior systemic treatment regimens for metastatic malignant melanoma