ABT-510 in Treating Patients With Metastatic Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed malignant melanoma * Stage IV disease * No known potentially curative standard therapy that exists or is proven capable of extending life expectancy * Measurable disease * No history of or current CNS metastases * MRI of the brain to confirm absence of CNS metastases within the past 28 days is required * No known, presently active carcinomatous meningitis PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * ECOG performance status 0-2 * Life expectancy ≥ 6 months * ANC ≥ 1,500/mm³ * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * AST ≤ 3 times ULN * Creatinine ≤ 2.5 times ULN * Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL * Prothrombin time normal * Willing to return to Mayo Clinic Rochester, Jacksonville or Scottsdale for follow-up * Must be able to self-administer or has a caregiver who can reliably administer subcutaneous injections * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No uncontrolled or current infection * No New York Heart Association class III-IV heart disease * No recent history of (i.e., ≤ 12 weeks from study day 1) or current cancer-related bleeding event (e.g., hemoptysis) * No recent history of (within the past 4 weeks) or current noncancer-related clinically significant bleeding event * No uncontrolled hypertension * No history of stroke or other CNS bleeding events (e.g., aneurysms) PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered (6 weeks for mitomycin C or nitrosoureas) * At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy, biologic therapy, radiotherapy, or surgery * No concurrent anticoagulation therapy or antiplatelet therapy * No other concurrent antineoplastic agents (e.g., cytotoxic chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, or investigational therapy) except local radiotherapy for supportive reasons involving a small radiation field