SB-715992 in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Recurrent Malignant Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed malignant melanoma
• Previously untreated metastatic or recurrent disease
• Considered incurable by standard therapies
• Measurable disease
• At least one unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan
• Bone metastases are not considered measurable disease
• Outside any previously irradiated area
• Patients whose sole site of measurable disease is in a previously irradiated area are ineligible unless there is evidence of progression or new lesions documented in the irradiated field
• No known CNS metastases
• CT scans or MRI are not required to rule out CNS metastases unless patient exhibits neurological signs or symptoms
• Patients with a prior solitary brain metastasis surgically resected with no evidence of residual disease are eligible provided CT scan or MRI confirms no evidence of disease within the past 28 days
• Archival paraffin tumor specimen available

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

• At least 12 weeks

Hematopoietic

• Absolute granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic

• Bilirubin normal
• AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

Renal

• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN

Cardiovascular

• No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• No unstable angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmia

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No other malignancy except adequately treated nonmelanoma skin cancer, curatively treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or other curatively treated solid tumors with no evidence of disease for ≥ 5 years
• No other uncontrolled illness
• No ongoing or active infection
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study participation
• No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to SB-715992

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• At least 3 months since prior adjuvant immunotherapy
• No prior immunotherapy for metastatic or recurrent disease

Chemotherapy

• No prior chemotherapy, including regional therapy

Endocrine therapy

• Not specified

Radiotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy except for low-dose, non-myelosuppressive radiotherapy

Surgery

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery

Other

• More than 28 days since prior investigational agents
• More than 14 days since prior and no concurrent use of any of the following CYP3A4 inhibitors or inducers:
• Clarithromycin
• Erythromycin
• Troleandomycin
• Itraconazole
• Ketoconazole
• Fluconazole (≤ 200 mg/day allowed)
• Voriconazole
• Nefazodone
• Fluvoxamine
• Verapamil
• Diltiazem
• Grapefruit juice
• Bitter orange
• Phenytoin
• Carbamazepine
• Phenobarbital
• Oxcarbazepine
• Rifampin
• Rifabutin
• Rifapentine
• Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort)
• Modafinil
• At least 6 months since prior and no concurrent amiodarone
• No concurrent antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
• No other concurrent anticancer treatment
• No other concurrent investigational therapies