DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed melanoma or renal cell cancer

  • Metastatic disease
  • No more than 25% estimated hepatic replacement by tumor
• Measurable disease
• Eligible for high-dose aldesleukin therapy
• No untreated or clinically significant (i.e., because of size or presence of edema) tumor involvement of CNS or major nerve compression

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Life expectancy > 3 months
• ECOG performance status 0-1
• Creatinine ≤ 1.4 mg/dL
• Bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dL (< 3.0 mg/dL for Gilbert's syndrome)
• Platelet count > 100,000/mm^3
• Absolute neutrophil count > 1,000/mm^3
• ALT and AST < 3 times upper limit of normal
• No significant second malignancy within the past 3 years or that would likely require intervention within 1 year of study entry
• No significant psychiatric disease that would preclude study treatment
• No systemic infections, coagulation disorders or evidence of active bleeding, or other major medical illnesses of the cardiovascular, respiratory, or immune system
• Not pregnant
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No HIV positivity
• No hepatitis B or C positivity

• FEV_1 or vital capacity > 65% of predicted

  • Patients with a significant smoking history (> 20 pk/years) or suspicion of pulmonary disease must undergo pulmonary function screening

• LVEF ≥ 45%

  • Must be determined in all patients ≥ 60 years old and others as clinically indicated
• No active cardiac ischemia or significantly abnormal EKG

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• At least 28 days since prior therapy except focal radiation for bone lesion
• No prior aldesleukin therapy

• No concurrent systemic or inhaled steroids

  • Concurrent topical steroid therapy allowed