DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically proven locally advanced melanoma of an extremity

  • One or more evaluable in-transit metastases OR
  • All disease within the perfusion field of the extremity (with no local resection options short of amputation) OR

  • Disease outside of perfusion field (with no local resection options short of amputation) if all the following are true:

    • High tumor burden (more than 10 lesions or any single lesion greater than 3 cm)
    • Presence of pain, edema, skin breakdown, or decreased mobility
    • Greater than 80% of known tumor is within extremity perfusion field
    • Life expectancy more than 6 months
    • No brain metastases
• At least 1 bidimensionally measurable lesion

• Patients who received prior prophylactic isolated limb perfusion (ILP) must have 1 of the following:

  • Disease-free interval for at least 6 months after prior ILP with melphalan
  • Disease-free interval for at least 3 months after prior ILP with an agent other than melphalan

• Patients who received prior therapeutic ILP must have 1 of the following:

  • Partial response of at least 3 months duration after prior ILP with melphalan
  • Stable response or disease progression after ILP without melphalan (performed at least 3 months prior to study)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2 OR
• Zubrod 0-2

Life expectancy:

• See Disease Characteristics

Hematopoietic:

• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3
• WBC greater than 2,500/mm^3
• Hemoglobin greater than 9 g/dL

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin less than 1.25 times ULN
• AST and ALT less than 2 times ULN
• Alkaline phosphatase less than 2 times ULN
• Coagulation studies normal or within 1 second of upper limit of normal (ULN)

Renal:

• Creatinine less than 1.5 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance greater than 50 mL/min
• Calcium less than 12 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

• No severe peripheral vascular disease (claudication or other ischemic peripheral vascular disease [e.g., venous thrombosis or occlusive peripheral arterial disease])
• No New York Heart Association class II-IV heart disease (congestive heart failure)
• No uncontrolled or life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia
• No myocardial infarction within the past year
• No unstable angina
• No symptomatic cerebral or carotid artery disease

Pulmonary:

• No pulmonary embolism within the past year

Other:

• Other prior malignancy allowed if completed curative therapy, disease-free for at least 5 years, and at low risk for recurrence
• No active peptic ulcer disease within the past year
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No known melphalan hypersensitivity
• No known hypersensitivity to any component of tumor necrosis factor alpha formulation
• No contraindications to ionotropic agents (e.g., dopamine or neosynephrine)
• No concurrent infections uncontrolled with antibiotics
• HIV negative

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• At least 1 month since prior biologic therapy

Chemotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 1 month since prior chemotherapy
• At least 4 months since prior isolated limb perfusion

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• At least 1 month since prior radiotherapy

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 12 months since prior coronary artery surgery or angioplasty