Cyclophosphamide and Fludarabine Followed By an Autologous Lymphocyte Infusion and Interleukin-2 in Treating Patients With Refractory or Recurrent Metastatic Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Diagnosis of melanoma * Metastatic disease * Measurable disease * HLA-A2 negative disease * Disease did not respond to OR recurred after completion of prior high-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) * Eligible to receive high-dose IL-2 * No tumor reactive cells available for cell transfer therapy PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy * At least 3 months Hematopoietic * Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,000/mm\^3 * Platelet count \> 100,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin \> 8.0 g/dL * No coagulation disorders Hepatic * ALT and AST \< 3 times upper limit of normal * Bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dL (\< 3.0 mg/dL if due to Gilbert's syndrome) * Hepatitis B surface antigen negative * Hepatitis C antigen negative Renal * Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL * No renal failure requiring dialysis due to toxic effects of prior IL-2 administration Cardiovascular * No myocardial infarction * No cardiac arrhythmias * No other major cardiovascular illness as evidenced by a positive stress thallium or comparable test * Normal cardiac stress test (e.g., stress thallium, stress MUGA, dobutamine echocardiogram) AND LVEF ≥ 45% (for patients ≥ 50 years of age or who have a history of EKG abnormalities, symptoms of cardiac ischemia, or arrhythmias) Pulmonary * No obstructive or restrictive pulmonary disease * No other major respiratory illness * FEV\_1 ≥ 60% of predicted (for patients with a prolonged history of cigarette smoking or symptoms of respiratory dysfunction) Immunologic * HIV negative * Epstein-Barr virus positive * No active systemic infection * No autoimmune disease (e.g., autoimmune colitis or Crohn's disease) * No immunodeficiency due to prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy * Recovered immune competence after prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy as evidenced by normal lymphocyte count and WBC and an absence of opportunistic infection * No other major immune system disease Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 4 months after completion of study treatment * No other toxic effects during prior IL-2 administration that would preclude redosing with IL-2, including the following: * Mental status changes that would require intubation * Bowel perforation PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * See Disease Characteristics * At least 4 weeks since prior systemic therapy Chemotherapy * At least 6 weeks since prior nitrosoureas * At least 4 weeks since prior systemic therapy Endocrine therapy * No concurrent systemic steroid therapy Radiotherapy * Not specified Surgery * Not specified