DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed melanoma

  • Stage III or IV disease
• No primary melanoma of the choroid or mucosa

• Measurable disease

  • At least 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan

• Tumor amenable to biopsy (for the first 10 patients in each stratum only)

  • Patients must have measurable disease in addition to the tumor(s) to be biopsied

• No brain or epidural metastases

  • Completely resected solitary brain metastases allowed provided patient has been free of CNS metastases for ≥ 6 months

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• Any age

Performance status

• Karnofsky 60-100% OR
• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

• More than 3 months

Hematopoietic

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

Hepatic

• AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal

Renal

• Creatinine normal

Cardiovascular

• No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• No unstable angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmia
• No history of myocardial infarction
• No history of prolonged QTc interval
• No active ischemic heart disease within the past 12 months
• No uncontrolled dysrhythmia or dysrhthmias requiring medication
• No congenital prolonged QT syndrome
• No left bundle branch block

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No prior allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to 17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG)
• No prior serious allergic reaction to eggs
• No other uncontrolled illness
• No active or ongoing infection requiring systemic antimicrobial treatment
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• See Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy

• No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen for metastatic melanoma

  • Prior vaccines, cytokines, or interferon alfa is not considered prior therapy unless administered with a chemotherapy drug
• More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered

Endocrine therapy

• Not specified

Radiotherapy

• Prior radiotherapy dose ≤ 3,000 cGy to fields including substantial marrow
• More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• No prior radiotherapy field that included the heart (e.g., mantle)

Surgery

• See Disease Characteristics

Other

• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
• No concurrent medications that may prolong the QTc interval
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy
• No other concurrent investigational agents

• No concurrent treatment with any of the following medications or herbal remedies:

  • Inhibitors of CYP3A4:

    • Fluconazole
    • Itraconazole
    • Ketoconazole
    • Macrolide antibiotics (azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, or troleandomycin)
    • Midazolam
    • Nifedipine
    • Verapamil
    • Diltiazem
    • Terfenadine
    • Cyclosporine
    • Cisapride

  • Inducers of CYP3A4:

    • Carbamazepine
    • Phenobarbital
    • Phenytoin
    • Rifampin

  • Herbal extracts and tinctures with CYP3A4 inhibitory activity:

    • Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal)
    • Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort)
    • Uncaria tomentosa (cat's claw)
    • Echinacea angustifolia roots
    • Trifolium pratense (wild cherry)
    • Matricaria chamomila (chamomile)
    • Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice)
    • Dillapiol
    • Hypericin
    • Naringin
• No other concurrent herbal extracts