Temozolomide and Thalidomide in Treating Patients With Stage III or Stage IV Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed metastatic malignant melanoma that is considered unresectable

  * Stage III or IV ocular, mucosal, or cutaneous melanoma
* Measurable disease
* No CNS disease (phase I only)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy:

* Not specified

Hematopoietic:

* Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 150,000/mm\^3

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* SGOT/SGPT no greater than 3 times ULN
* Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 3 times ULN

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN

Cardiovascular:

* No history of active angina
* No myocardial infarction within past 6 months
* No history of significant ventricular arrhythmia requiring medication with antiarrhythmics

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception during and for 4 weeks before and after study
* No frequent vomiting or medical condition that could interfere with oral medication intake (e.g., partial bowel obstruction)
* No preexisting neurotoxicity grade 2 or greater
* No serious concurrent infections treated with antibiotics
* No nonmalignant medical illnesses that are uncontrolled or whose control may be jeopardized by the complications of this study
* No psychiatric disorders that would preclude study compliance
* No other medical condition or reason that would preclude study
* No other malignancy within the past 2 years except:

  * Nonmelanoma skin cancer
  * Carcinoma in situ of the cervix
  * History of T1a or b prostate cancer detected incidentally at TURP and comprising less than 5% of resected tissue with PSA normal since TURP
* No AIDS related illness
* HIV negative

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* Recovered from prior therapy

Biologic therapy:

* At least 4 weeks since prior biologic therapy
* At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy
* No concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy:

* No prior systemic chemotherapy for metastatic melanoma
* No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

* Not specified

Radiotherapy:

* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy, interstitial brachytherapy, or radiosurgery
* At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy to the brain if brain metastases from melanoma
* Prior radiotherapy to only indicator lesion allowed provided recent evidence of disease progression at that site
* No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

* At least 2 weeks since prior surgery requiring general anesthesia