Bevacizumab With or Without Interferon Alfa in Treating Patients With Metastatic Malignant Melanoma

Inclusion Criteria:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed cutaneous malignant melanoma

  * Must meet one of the following criteria:

    * Clinical evidence of metastatic disease
    * Unresectable regional lymphatic disease
    * Extensive in transit recurrent disease
* Measurable disease

  * At least 20 mm by conventional techniques OR at least 10 mm by spiral computed tomography (CT) scan
* No known brain metastases
* No ocular melanoma
* Performance status - Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) 0-2
* Performance status - Karnofsky 60-100%
* More than 6 months
* White blood cells (WBC) at least 3,000/mm\^3
* Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
* No clinical evidence of coagulopathy
* Bilirubin =\< 2.0 mg/dL (3.0 mg/dL for patients with Gilbert's disease provided patient is stable and asymptomatic)
* Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Prothrombin time (PT)/International normalized ratio (INR) less than 1.5
* Creatinine =\< 1.5 mg/dL
* Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min
* Protein \< 1,000 mg on 24-hour urine collection for patients with proteinuria \>= 1+
* No symptomatic congestive heart failure
* No unstable angina pectoris
* No cardiac arrhythmia
* No history of thrombosis (e.g., deep vein thrombosis), unless the following criteria are met:

  * INR in normal range (usually 2-3) AND on a stable dose of warfarin or low molecular weight heparin
  * No active bleeding or pathologic condition that would confer a high risk of bleeding (e.g., known varices or tumor involving major vessels)
* No uncontrolled hypertension
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No prior allergic reactions to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to bevacizumab or interferon alfa
* No ongoing or active infection
* No other concurrent uncontrolled illness
* No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
* Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) allowed provided otherwise well
* At least 4 weeks since prior adjuvant interferon alfa
* No prior interferon alfa for metastatic disease
* No prior cytokine therapy for metastatic disease (e.g., high-dose interleukin-2 \[IL-2\])

  * Prior IL-2 allowed for patients randomized to arm III only
* No prior investigational antiangiogenic agents
* No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen for metastatic disease
* At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered
* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
* No other concurrent investigational agents