Indomethacin Plus Biological Therapy in Treating Patients With Advanced Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically documented melanoma that is metastatic or unresectable and unresponsive to conventional chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy Measurable or evaluable disease required Measurable disease defined as bidimensionally measurable lesion on physical exam, x-ray, or MRI Evaluable disease defined as: Unidimensionally measurable lesion on x-ray, scan, or photograph Disease assessable by serial chemistries, tumor markers, or nonspecific scans Disease assessable by functional manifestations (e.g., change in performance status, 10% or greater change in weight) Previously irradiated lesion with subsequent disease progression documented Bone-only lesions may be considered evaluable (lytic lesion on x-ray or bone scan should be followed) No metastases on CT or MRI involving more than 50% of the liver No uncontrolled or untreated CNS metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Over 16 Performance status: ECOG 0 or 1 Life expectancy: At least 3 months Hematopoietic: (unless tumor involvement of bone marrow or spleen is documented) WBC at least 3,500/mm3 Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hemoglobin at least 11.5 g/dL No significant hematologic abnormalities Hepatic: (unless tumor involvement of liver is documented) Bilirubin no greater than 1.6 mg/dL SGOT no greater than 150 U/L PT at least 1.5 times control PTT less than 1.5 times control Renal: (unless tumor involvement of kidney is documented) Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL Creatinine clearance at least 50 mL/min Calcium no greater than 12 mg/dL No symptomatic hypercalcemia Cardiovascular: No myocardial infarction within 6 months No congestive heart failure No edema No hypotension or hypertension No coronary artery disease No history of arrhythmia No contraindication to the use of pressor agents Pulmonary: FEV1 at least 65% of predicted Other: No significant organ dysfunction No uncontrolled bacterial, viral, or fungal infection No active peptic or duodenal ulcer No psychiatric or seizure disorder No prior solid organ allograft HIV and hepatitis B surface antigen seronegative within 6 months of study entry No second malignancy within 5 years except: Inactive nonmelanomatous skin cancer Carcinoma in situ of the cervix No other serious illness that would limit survival to less than 2 years Negative pregnancy test

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: More than 4 weeks since immunotherapy Chemotherapy: Prior anthracyclines allowed provided no symptomatic heart disease is present More than 4 weeks since chemotherapy (at least 2 weeks, with recovery, if disease progression is documented) More than 6 weeks since nitrosoureas, melphalan, or mitomycin Endocrine therapy: More than 1 week since corticosteroids (except physiological doses for respiratory ailments or adrenal insufficiency) Radiotherapy: More than 4 weeks since radiotherapy (at least 2 weeks, with recovery, if disease progression is documented) Surgery: More than 3 weeks since major surgery (excluding surgery for tumor collection)