Temozolomide Alone or With Pegylated Interferon-Alpha 2b (PGI) in Melanoma Patients

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Histologically documented diagnosis of melanoma metastases.
2. Stage IIIB/IIIC (N2b, N2c and N3) or stage IV (M1a) melanoma patients with measurable and potentially resectable metastases without clinical and radiological evidence of other distant metastases.
3. An Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-1.
4. Age 18 or older.
5. Adequate organ function defined as follows: a.) Absolute granulocytes greater than or equal to 1,000/mm\^3 and Platelets greater than or equal to 100,000/mm\^3, b.) Serum bilirubin and serum creatinine of less than or equal to 1.5 times upper limit of laboratory normal. If serum creatinine is greater than 1.5 times upper limit of laboratory normal, the urine creatinine clearance must be greater than 60 ml/min., c.) serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT) (AST), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase less than or equal to 3 times upper limit of laboratory normal.
6. Patients have not had any previous systemic chemotherapy for metastatic melanoma. Prior biologic therapy, targeted therapy or immunotherapy are allowable, but must be at least 2 weeks since prior therapy before starting study drugs. No other concurrent chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiotherapy.
7. Prior radiation therapy used to enhance local regional control is permitted, but must be at least 2 weeks since prior therapy before starting study drugs. In addition, the patient must have unirradiated metastatic sites for response evaluation and has fully recovered from its toxicity. Lesions within the prior field of radiation may only be used as indicator lesions if there has been recent evidence of disease progression after .
8. Ability to understand and sign an informed consent form, indicating awareness of the investigational nature of this study.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Significant cardiac or pulmonary dysfunction, such as a history of severe cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction within 6 months of the start of treatment, unstable angina, Class III or Class IV congestive heart failure, ventricular arrhythmia, or any uncontrolled arrhythmia.
2. Current significant psychiatric illness.
3. Serious infection requiring intravenous antibiotics, or any non-malignant medical illnesses that are uncontrolled or whose control may be jeopardized by complications of this therapy.
4. Frequent vomiting or any medical condition (e.g. partial bowel obstruction) that could interfere with oral medication intake.
5. Autoimmune or immunosuppressive disorders (e.g. HIV or AIDS-related illness).
6. Patients who require therapy with systemic corticosteroids.
7. No evidence of active secondary malignancy that requires chemotherapy within the past 2 years (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer, and/or all carcinoma in-situ)
8. Pregnant or lactating women are ineligible. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative urine pregnancy test within a week of initiation of therapy. All patients must agree to use medically approved contraceptive measures to prevent pregnancy during treatment.
9. Any other medical condition or reason that, in the principal investigator's opinion, makes the patient unsuitable to participate in a clinical trial.