DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed melanoma that is metastatic and unresectable

• Measurable, progressive disease (by physical exam and/or noninvasive imaging)

  • No prior irradiation of indicator lesions
• No CNS metastases (confirmed by CT or MRI)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 to 70

Performance status:

• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

• Greater than 3 months

Hematopoietic:

• WBC at least 2,500/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

• No serious hepatic disease

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 1.65 mg/dL
• No serious renal disease

Cardiovascular:

• No serious cardiac disease

Pulmonary:

• No serious pulmonary disease

Other:

• No organ allograft
• No autoimmune disease
• No uncontrolled infection
• No active peptic ulcer
• No hyper or hypothyroidism
• No requirement for corticosteroids
• No second malignancy except basal cell skin carcinoma or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• Not pregnant or nursing

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• No prior immunotherapy with interleukin-2
• No prior interferon alfa in combination with cisplatin or dacarbazine

Chemotherapy:

• No prior chemotherapy with cisplatin in combination with dacarbazine
• More than 3 months since prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• Prior radiotherapy allowed

Surgery:

• Not specified