Temozolomide and Everolimus in Treating Patients With Stage IV Melanoma That Cannot be Removed by Surgery

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed melanoma with manifestations of metastatic disease. * Unresectable stage IV malignant melanoma with measurable disease * Measurable disease defined as at least one lesion with the longest diameter measured as ≥ 20 mm by CT scan or MRI scan OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT * No previously untreated or unstable active brain metastases within the past 3 months * No known standard therapy for this disease that is potentially curative or proven capable of extending life expectancy PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * ECOG performance status 0-2 * Life expectancy ≥ 12 weeks * ANC ≥ 1,500/μL * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/μL * Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 3 times institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN * AST ≤ 3 times ULN * INR ≤ 1.5 * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients and their partners must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 8 weeks after completion of study treatment * Able to return to a NCCTG institution for follow-up * Able to forego foods high in fat content 2 hours prior to and 2 hours after administration of everolimus therapy * Able to provide blood samples for research purposes * No hypersensitivity to temozolomide, dacarbazine, or any analog of sirolimus * No history of malignancy within the past 5 years except for basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin treated with local resection only * No immunosuppression from any cause, including known HIV infection or chronic immunosuppressive therapy * No impairment of gastrointestinal function or gastrointestinal disease that may significantly alter the absorption of everolimus (e.g., ulcerative disease, uncontrolled nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or malabsorption syndrome) * No serious medical condition that may make it unsafe for a patient to enroll in study, including any of the following: * Severely impaired lung function (FEV1 \< 1 liter), unstable angina pectoris (ongoing symptoms), ongoing symptomatic congestive heart failure (i.e., NYHA class I-IV) refractory to appropriate therapy, or myocardial infarction within the past 6 months, or serious uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia * Uncontrolled diabetes in spite of optimal therapy (i.e., a history of fasting serum glucose \> 150 mg/dL) * Any active (acute or chronic) or uncontrolled infection/disorders * Nonmalignant medical illnesses that are uncontrolled or whose control may be jeopardized by the study treatment * Liver disease (i.e., uncompensated cirrhosis or active hepatitis with elevated liver enzymes) * No bleeding diathesis * No concurrent severe condition that would make it undesirable for the patient to participate in this trial or that would jeopardize compliance with the trial PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * Must have recovered from effects of prior antineoplastic therapy * At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for mitomycin C or nitrosoureas) * At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy * At least 4 weeks since prior biologic therapy * At least 4 weeks since prior radiosurgery * At least 4 weeks since prior investigational therapy for melanoma * No prior small bowel resection that may significantly alter the absorption of everolimus * No prior sirolimus or its analogues * No prior radiotherapy to \> 30% of bone marrow * No concurrent drugs that may induce CYP3A4 activity * No concurrent warfarin * No concurrent grapefruit or grapefruit juice * No concurrent use or planned use of vaccines containing live virus