Vatalanib in Treating Patients With Metastatic Cutaneous Melanoma That Cannot be Removed by Surgery

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed metastatic cutaneous melanoma

  * Unresectable disease
* Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 bidimensionally measurable lesion by clinical or radiological techniques (i.e., chest x-ray, CT scan, or conventional MRI scan) using RECIST criteria
* No history or presence of CNS disease (i.e., primary brain tumor, malignant seizures, clinically symptomatic CNS metastases, or carcinomatous meningitis)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* ECOG performance status 0-2
* Life expectancy ≥ 12 weeks
* Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
* WBC ≥ 3,000/mm\^3
* ANC ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 3 x ULN (≤ 5 if liver metastases are present)
* Transaminases ≤ 3 x ULN (≤ 5 if liver metastases are present)
* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 x ULN or creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min
* Total urinary protein ≤ 500 mg by 24-hour urine collection
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception
* No history of other malignant disease except adequately treated nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
* No other serious or uncontrolled illness which, in the opinion of the investigator, precludes study entry
* No medical or psychiatric condition that precludes giving informed consent
* No history of renal disease (e.g., glomerulonephritis) or renal vascular disease
* No acute or chronic active liver disease (e.g., hepatitis or cirrhosis)
* No concurrent severe and/or uncontrolled medical conditions that would compromise participation in the study, including any of the following:

  * Uncontrolled high blood pressure, history of labile hypertension, or history of poor compliance with an antihypertensive regimen
  * Unstable angina pectoris
  * Symptomatic congestive heart failure
  * Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
  * Serious uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia
  * Uncontrolled diabetes
  * Active or uncontrolled infection
* No impairment of gastrointestinal (GI) function or GI disease that may significantly alter the absorption of vatalanib including, but not limited to, any of the following conditions:

  * Ulcerative disease
  * Uncontrolled nausea
  * Vomiting
  * Diarrhea which might result in malabsorption
  * Any known malabsorption syndrome
  * Bowel obstruction
  * Inability to swallow the capsules/tablets

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* Recovered from all prior therapy
* Prior adjuvant therapy allowed
* Prior radiotherapy allowed

  * Measurable target lesions must not have been irradiated
* No more than one line of prior systemic therapy for advanced melanoma
* More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or investigational agent
* More than 2 weeks since prior surgery
* No concurrent warfarin or other similar oral anticoagulants that are metabolized by the cytochrome p450 system

  * Concurrent heparin allowed
* Concurrent radiotherapy for symptomatic disease is allowed, provided the lesions being irradiated contribute ≤ 20% of the sum of the longest diameter for all target lesions being used to determine response