Dasatinib in Treating Patients With Stage III Melanoma That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery or Stage IV Melanoma

Inclusion criteria

* Histologically confirmed stage III unresectable or stage IV melanoma * Measurable disease * Must have evidence of tumor growth or new lesions within the past 6 months * No large pleural effusions * No known brain metastases or leptomeningeal metastases * Previously treated brain metastases allowed provided there is no requirement for steroids AND no evidence of progression for ≥ 8 weeks after treatment * ECOG performance status (PS) 0-1 OR Karnofsky PS 70-100% * Life expectancy \> 3 months * WBC ≥ 3,000/mm³ * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³ * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ * Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL (transfusions allowed) * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/mL * AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * PT/INR and PTT normal * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min * No medical condition that may affect the ability to swallow and retain dasatinib tablets, including any of the following: * Gastrointestinal tract disease resulting in an inability to take oral medication * Requirement for IV alimentation * Prior surgical procedures affecting absorption * Active peptic ulcer disease * No clinically significant cardiovascular disease, including any of the following: * Myocardial infarction or ventricular tachyarrhythmia within the past 6 months * Prolonged QTc \> 480 msec * Major conduction abnormality (unless a cardiac pacemaker is present) * No uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, any of the following: * Ongoing or active infection * History of significant congenital or acquired bleeding disorder, including any of the following: * Von Willebrand's disease * Antifactor VIII antibodies * Dyspnea at rest or with minimal exertion * Uncontrolled seizure disorder * Psychiatric illness or social situations that would preclude study compliance * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No other active malignancy within the past 3 years except curatively treated stage I malignancies or resected skin carcinomas * Recovered from prior therapy * Prior adjuvant therapy for stage II or III melanoma allowed * No prior cytotoxic therapy for metastatic melanoma * No prior dasatinib or other inhibitors of src, bcr-abl, c-Kit, EPHA2, and PDGFRβ * No more than 2 prior immunomodulator therapies for metastatic melanoma * At least 1 week since prior and no concurrent warfarin or other anticoagulants or medications that inhibit platelet function (including acetylsalicylic acid) * At least 1 week since prior and no concurrent steroids or other immunosuppressive agents * Concurrent steroids to treat induced pleural effusions allowed * At least 3 weeks since prior immunomodulators including, but not limited to, any of the following: * Aldesleukin * Cancer vaccines * T-cell-activating monoclonal antibodies * At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy * Prior palliative radiotherapy to a single site of disease allowed (tumor is not considered evaluable for response unless there is tumor progression at the site of radiation) * More than 7 days since prior and no concurrent CYP3A4 inhibitors * At least 7 days since prior and no concurrent agents with proarrhythmic potential * No other concurrent investigational agents * No other concurrent anticancer agents or therapies * No concurrent enzyme-inducing anticonvulsant agents * No concurrent grapefruit or grapefruit juice * No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients * No concurrent CYP3A4 inducers