VEGF Trap in Treating Patients With Recurrent Stage III or Stage IV Melanoma That Cannot Be Removed by Surgery

Inclusion criteria

* Histologically confirmed stage III or IV melanoma * Cutaneous, ocular, or mucosal melanoma allowed * Recurrent, inoperable disease * Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan * No evidence of CNS disease, including primary brain tumor or brain metastases * No brain metastases by MRI or CT scan within the past 4 weeks * ECOG performance status (PS) 0-2 OR Karnofsky PS 60-100% * Life expectancy \> 3 months * WBC ≥ 3,000/mm³ * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³ * Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm³ * Bilirubin \< 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min * Urine protein:creatinine ratio \< 1 OR urine protein \< 500 mg by 24-hour urine collection * PT INR ≤ 1.5 unless on full-dose warfarin * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 6 months after completion of study treatment * No known hypersensitivity to Chinese hamster ovary cell products or other recombinant human antibodies * No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to agents used in the study * No serious or nonhealing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture * No abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, or intra-abdominal abscess within the past 28 days * No significant traumatic injury within the past 28 days * No clinically significant cardiovascular disease, including any of the following: * Cerebrovascular accident within the past 6 months * Uncontrolled hypertension, defined as blood pressure (BP) \> 150/100 mm Hg or systolic BP \> 180 mm Hg if diastolic BP \< 90 mm Hg within the past 3 months * Myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft, or unstable angina within the past 6 months * New York Heart Association class III-IV congestive heart failure * Serious cardiac arrhythmia requiring medication * Unstable angina pectoris within the past 6 months * Clinically significant peripheral vascular disease within the past 6 months * Pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, or other thromboembolic event within the past 6 months * No evidence of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy * No concurrent uncontrolled illness, including, but not limited to any of the following: * Ongoing or active infection * Psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance * Recovered from all prior therapy and major surgery * No prior chemotherapy or hormonal therapy * More than 7 days since prior core visceral organ biopsy * More than 4 weeks since prior biologic therapy or radiotherapy * More than 28 days since prior major surgery or open biopsy * No concurrent major surgery * No other concurrent investigational agents * No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients * Concurrent full-dose warfarin with PT INR \> 1.5 allowed provided the following criteria are met: * INR in range (2-3) on a stable dose of oral anticoagulant or low molecular weight heparin * No active bleeding or pathological condition that carries a high risk of bleeding (e.g., tumor involving major vessels or known varices)