Interleukin-21 in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Recurrent Malignant Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed cutaneous malignant melanoma

  * Recurrent or metastatic disease that is not curable by surgical or other means
* Clinically and/or radiologically documented disease defined as at least one site of disease unidimensionally measurable ≥ 20 mm by x-ray, physical exam, or nonspiral CT scan OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan
* Must have nonbulky metastatic disease defined as the largest measurable lesion ≤ 50 mm in maximum diameter
* Must have primary diagnosis tumor tissue or previously resected metastatic melanoma tissue available (i.e., paraffin block or unstained slides)
* No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* ECOG performance status 0-2
* Life expectancy ≥ 12 weeks
* Absolute granulocytes count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
* Bilirubin normal
* Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN
* Negative pregnancy test
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during study therapy
* No uncontrolled intercurrent illness or condition including, but not limited to, any of the following:

  * Ongoing or active infection
  * Symptomatic congestive heart failure
  * Unstable angina pectoris
  * Cardiac arrhythmia
  * Psychiatric illness or social situation that would limit compliance with study requirements
* No history of hemolysis or a hemolytic disorder including, but not limited to, any of the following:

  * Sickle cell anemia
  * Thalassemia
  * Autoimmune hemolytic anemia
* No history of other malignancies within the past 5 years except adequately treated nonmelanoma skin cancer, curatively treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or other solid tumors curatively treated with no evidence of disease
* No known HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C infection
* Patients must reside within a 2-hour drive from a participating center

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* No previous systemic therapy for metastatic disease
* At least 3 months since prior adjuvant immunotherapy for recurrent melanoma

  * No prior immunotherapy for metastatic disease
  * No prior immunotherapy outside the adjuvant setting
* At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery
* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy except low-dose, nonmyelosuppressive radiotherapy and recovered
* More than 4 weeks since prior and no concurrent investigational agents or anticancer therapy
* No prior chemotherapy including regional therapy
* No concurrent systemic corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone or dexamethasone)

  * Concurrent topical steroids are allowed