Genistein and Interleukin-2 in Treating Patients With Metastatic Melanoma or Kidney Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Documented histologically confirmed malignant melanoma or renal clear cell carcinoma * Metastatic disease * At least 1 measurable lesion that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension with longest diameter \> 20 mm using conventional techniques OR \> 10 mm with spiral CT scan * If the measurable disease is restricted to a solitary lesion, its neoplastic nature should be confirmed by cytology/histology * Clinical lesions will only be considered measurable when they are superficial (e.g., skin nodules or palpable lymph nodes) * The following are considered non-measurable lesions: * Bone lesions * Leptomeningeal disease * Ascites * Pleural/pericardial effusion * Inflammatory breast disease * Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis * Cystic lesions * Abdominal masses that are not confirmed and followed by imaging techniques * No CNS metastases by CT scan or MRI PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * ECOG performance status \< 2 * Life expectancy ≥ 4 months * Serum creatinine \< 2.0 mg/dL OR creatinine clearance \> 50 mL/min * Bilirubin normal * Platelets \> 100,000/mm³ * WBC \> 3,500/mm³ * No evidence of congestive heart failure * No symptom of coronary artery disease * No serious cardiac arrhythmias * A pretreatment cardiac stress test must be performed within 42 days of IL-2 treatment if any cardiac symptoms present (patients with documented ischemia on the pretreatment cardiac stress test will be excluded from the study) * Adequate pulmonary reserve * FEV\_1 \> 75% of predicted * Not pregnant or nursing * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * Negative pregnancy test * No known HIV-positive patients * No evidence of active infection requiring antibiotic therapy * No contraindication to treatment with pressor agents * No significant medical disease which, in the opinion of the investigator, may interfere with completion of the study * No history of another malignancy other than basal cell skin cancer within 5 years PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * Recovered from all toxic effects of prior therapy * No radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy in the 4 weeks prior to the first dose of the study treatment * No systemic corticosteroids in the 4 weeks prior to treatment * No previous investigational agent within 4 weeks prior to the start of the study * No prior interleukin-2 therapy * No organ allografts allowed * No concurrent radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy * No concurrent corticosteroids * No concurrent chronic medication for asthma