Interferon Alfa and Thalidomide in Treating Patients With Stage IV Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed stage IV malignant melanoma

  * Surgically incurable disease
* Measurable or evaluable disease
* No brain metastases by CT scan or MRI

  * Prior brain metastases allowed only if completely resected and treated with whole brain radiotherapy
* Must have received 1, and only 1, prior systemic therapy for metastatic disease

  * Chemotherapy, biologic/immunotherapy, hormonal therapy, or combination therapy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* Adult

Performance status:

* Zubrod 0-2

Life expectancy:

* Not specified

Hematopoietic:

* Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,000/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 75,000/mm\^3

Hepatic:

* SGOT and/or SGPT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Bilirubin no greater than ULN

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use 2 methods of effective contraception 4 weeks before, during, and for 4 weeks after study
* HIV negative
* No AIDS or HIV-1-associated complex
* No other serious illness
* No serious active infections
* No sensory neuropathy greater than grade 1
* No prior seizures or concurrent potential risk factors for the development of seizures
* No other prior malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or adequately treated stage I or II cancer currently in complete remission

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 21 days since prior biologic therapy or immunotherapy in the adjuvant or metastatic setting and recovered
* No concurrent filgrastim (G-CSF)
* No other concurrent biologic therapy

Chemotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 21 days since prior chemotherapy in the adjuvant or metastatic setting and recovered
* No concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 21 days since prior hormonal therapy in the adjuvant or metastatic setting and recovered
* No concurrent hormonal therapy
* No concurrent systemic steroids (including creams)

Radiotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 21 days since prior radiotherapy and recovered
* Prior radiotherapy to all known sites of disease allowed if there is objective evidence of progression
* No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 21 days since prior surgery for primary or metastatic disease and recovered
* No concurrent surgery

Other:

* At least 21 days since prior systemic therapy or combination regimen for metastatic disease and recovered
* At least 21 days since prior adjuvant isolation limb perfusion therapy and recovered
* No other concurrent therapy
* No other concurrent investigational drugs
* No concurrent immunosuppressive medications
* Concurrent antihistamines allowed if no alternative medication available