Interleukin-2 With or Without Histamine Dihydrochloride in Treating Patients With Stage IV Melanoma Metastatic to the Liver

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed stage IV melanoma

  * Must have radiological evidence of lesions in liver (target or non-target)
* At least 1 measurable lesion outside previously irradiated field

  * At least 20 mm by contrast-enhanced CT scan, MRI, medical photography, or physical exam OR at least 10 mm by spiral CT scan
* No prior or concurrent clinical and/or objective evidence of brain metastasis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* WHO 0-1

Life expectancy:

* At least 3 months

Hematopoietic:

* Hemoglobin at least 9.5 g/dL
* WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
* Granulocyte count at least 2,000/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* AST and ALT no greater than 4 times ULN
* Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 4 times ULN
* Hepatitis B and C negative

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 1.7 mg/dL
* Calcium no greater than 11.5 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

* No abnormal thallium stress test
* No acute myocardial infarction within the past year
* No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease

Pulmonary:

* No asthma requiring active treatment within the past 5 years
* Oxygen saturation by pulse oximeter at least 90% unless FEV\_1 is greater than 2 L or at least 75% predicted

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* HIV negative
* Concurrent medically-controlled (except with glyburide) or diet-controlled diabetes is allowed
* Concurrent medically-controlled thyroid dysfunction is allowed
* No other active malignancy within the past 5 years except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or localized squamous cell or basal cell skin cancer
* No serious non-malignant medical conditions, including psychiatric disability, that would preclude study compliance
* No active autoimmune disease (e.g., lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, or psoriasis)
* No active peptic and/or esophageal ulcer disease
* No hypersensitivity to histamine products or urticaria
* No active IV drug abuse

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* No prior immunotherapy with high-dose IV interleukin-2 (IL-2)
* No prior combination immunotherapy with chemotherapy
* At least 1 year since prior low-dose adjuvant IL-2 as part of vaccine therapy or as therapy for stage II or III melanoma

Chemotherapy:

* See Biologic therapy

Endocrine therapy:

* No chronic systemic glucocorticoid steroids

  * Asthma inhalers, topical creams, or intra-articular injections allowed
* Hormonal therapy for non-melanoma-related conditions allowed

Radiotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* Concurrent radiotherapy as palliative therapy for isolated non-target lesions (e.g., bone lesions) allowed

Surgery:

* Not specified

Other:

* At least 4 weeks since prior therapy directed at malignancy
* At least 4 weeks since prior investigational medications or therapies
* At least 2 weeks since prior parenteral antioxidants and/or vitamins
* At least 2 weeks since prior antibiotics for active illness
* At least 2 weeks since prior H2 antagonists, beta-blockers, antihypertensives, antimalarials, antitrypanosomals, neuromuscular-blocking agents, tricyclic antidepressants, or alprazolam
* At least 24 hours since prior antihistamines
* No prior enrollment in any Maxim Pharmaceuticals investigational trials
* No concurrent anticonvulsant therapy for seizure disorder
* No other concurrent investigational drug
* No concurrent H2 antagonists, tricyclic antidepressants, alprazolam, beta- blockers, antihypertensives, antitrypanosomals, antimalarials, or monoamine oxidase inhibitors
* No concurrent inhibitors of diamine oxidase, monoamine oxidase, or histamine N-methyltransferase
* No concurrent antihistamines