OBJECTIVES:
* Determine the relationship of peripheral blood lymphocyte phenotype pattern in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma or metastatic melanoma to response to high-dose aldesleukin (IL-2).
* Determine the relationship of peripheral blood mononuclear cells gene microarray patterns in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma or metastatic melanoma to response to high-dose IL-2.
* Determine the frequency of mutations on genes encoding for IL-2 receptor A and B.
OUTLINE: Patients receive high-dose aldesleukin (IL-2) as part of standard treatment on days 1 and 8. Courses repeat every 3 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
Patients undergo blood collection at baseline, prior to beginning course 2, and 4 weeks after the completion of course 2. Samples are analyzed using peripheral blood cytometry, gene microarray analysis, and IL-2 receptor single-nucleotide polymorphism techniques.
