VEGF Trap in Treating Patients With Recurrent Stage III or Stage IV Melanoma That Cannot Be Removed by Surgery

Inclusion Criteria:

* Histologically confirmed stage III or IV melanoma
* Cutaneous, ocular, or mucosal melanoma allowed
* Recurrent, inoperable disease
* Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan
* No evidence of CNS disease, including primary brain tumor or brain metastases
* No brain metastases by MRI or CT scan within the past 4 weeks
* ECOG performance status (PS) 0-2 OR Karnofsky PS 60-100%
* Life expectancy \> 3 months
* WBC ≥ 3,000/mm³
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³
* Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm³
* Bilirubin \< 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN
* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
* Urine protein:creatinine ratio \< 1 OR urine protein \< 500 mg by 24-hour urine collection
* PT INR ≤ 1.5 unless on full-dose warfarin
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 6 months after completion of study treatment
* No known hypersensitivity to Chinese hamster ovary cell products or other recombinant human antibodies
* No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to agents used in the study
* No serious or nonhealing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture
* No abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, or intra-abdominal abscess within the past 28 days
* No significant traumatic injury within the past 28 days
* No clinically significant cardiovascular disease, including any of the following:

  * Cerebrovascular accident within the past 6 months
  * Uncontrolled hypertension, defined as blood pressure (BP) \> 150/100 mm Hg or systolic BP \> 180 mm Hg if diastolic BP \< 90 mm Hg within the past 3 months
  * Myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft, or unstable angina within the past 6 months
  * New York Heart Association class III-IV congestive heart failure
  * Serious cardiac arrhythmia requiring medication
  * Unstable angina pectoris within the past 6 months
  * Clinically significant peripheral vascular disease within the past 6 months
  * Pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, or other thromboembolic event within the past 6 months
  * No evidence of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy
* No concurrent uncontrolled illness, including, but not limited to any of the following:

  * Ongoing or active infection
  * Psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
* Recovered from all prior therapy and major surgery
* No prior chemotherapy or hormonal therapy
* More than 7 days since prior core visceral organ biopsy
* More than 4 weeks since prior biologic therapy or radiotherapy
* More than 28 days since prior major surgery or open biopsy
* No concurrent major surgery
* No other concurrent investigational agents
* No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
* Concurrent full-dose warfarin with PT INR \> 1.5 allowed provided the following criteria are met:

  * INR in range (2-3) on a stable dose of oral anticoagulant or low molecular weight heparin
  * No active bleeding or pathological condition that carries a high risk of bleeding (e.g., tumor involving major vessels or known varices)