17-N-Allylamino-17-Demethoxygeldanamycin in Treating Patients With Metastatic Malignant Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed malignant melanoma

  * Metastatic (M1a, M1b, or M1c) disease
* Measurable disease by clinical exam, x-ray, CT scan, or MRI
* Must have documented disease progression at 2 time points separated by ≥ 6 months

  * Pre-existing visceral lesions or the appearance of new visceral lesions allowed
  * New skin disease amenable to surgery not allowed
* No primary brain tumors or brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

* 18 and over

Performance status

* ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy

* More than 3 months

Hematopoietic

* WBC ≥ 3,000/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL

Hepatic

* Bilirubin normal
* ALT and AST ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal
* No chronic liver disease
* No known hepatitis B or C positivity

Renal

* Creatinine \< 130 mmol/L OR
* Creatinine clearance \> 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular

* No symptomatic congestive heart failure
* No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
* No unstable angina pectoris
* No cardiac arrhythmia
* No transient ischemic attack
* No stroke or peripheral vascular disease

Other

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception for 4 weeks before, during, and for 6 months after study participation
* No ongoing or active infection
* No diabetes mellitus with evidence of severe peripheral vascular disease or ulcers
* No history of allergy to eggs
* No known HIV positivity
* No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
* No other uncontrolled illness
* No other malignancy except adequately treated cone-biopsied carcinoma in situ of the cervix or basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* More than 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

* More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin)

Endocrine therapy

* More than 4 weeks since prior endocrine therapy
* Concurrent steroids allowed provided they are given at the lowest possible maintenance dose

Radiotherapy

* More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy unless administered for palliative care
* Concurrent radiotherapy allowed provided it is administered as a single fraction for bone pain OR as indicated for palliative care

Surgery

* Not specified

Other

* Recovered from all prior therapy

  * Alopecia allowed
* No concurrent therapeutic anticoagulation with warfarin

  * Concurrent prophylactic warfarin for central line maintenance allowed provided INR is checked regularly until stable
  * Concurrent low-molecular weight heparin allowed
* No other concurrent anticancer therapy
* No other concurrent investigational drugs