RATIONALE: AZD2171 may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking blood flow to the tumor and by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth.

PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well AZD2171 works in treating patients with recurrent or stage IV melanoma.

OBJECTIVES:

• Determine the objective tumor response rate in patients with recurrent or stage IV malignant melanoma treated with AZD2171.
• Determine the median survival time, 1-year survival rate, response or stable disease duration, time to disease progression, and clinical benefit response in patients treated with this drug.
• Determine the toxicity of this drug in these patients.
• Correlate the baseline and post-treatment levels of angiogenic growth factors and receptors and circulating endothelial cells with clinical outcomes in patients treated with this drug.
• Correlate changes in blood flow and vessel permeability, using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging pre- and post-treatment, with clinical outcomes in patients treated with this drug.
• Determine the pharmacogenetic analysis of polymorphisms of kdr/flk-1 and other genes in this pathway and correlate genotype with vascular endothelial growth factor levels and response in patients treated with this drug.

OUTLINE: This is an open-label, multicenter study.

Patients receive oral AZD2171 once daily on days 1-28. Courses repeat every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed for survival.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 33 patients will be accrued for this study.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed malignant melanoma
• Recurrent or stage IV disease
• The following melanoma types are allowed:
• Acral lentiginous
• Lentigo maligna
• Superficial spreading
• Ocular malignant melanoma
• Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan
• Previously irradiated lesions are not considered measurable, unless the lesion has subsequently demonstrated progression
• No brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Performance status

• ECOG 0-2 OR
• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy

• More than 12 weeks

Hematopoietic

• WBC ≥ 3,000/mm^3
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL

Hepatic

• Bilirubin < 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST and ALT ≤ 3 times ULN (5 times ULN if liver metastases are present)

Renal

• Creatinine normal OR
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
• No proteinuria > 1+ by 2 consecutive dipstick urinalyses taken ≥ 1 week apart

Cardiovascular

• QTc < 470 msec
• No uncontrolled hypertension
• Baseline blood pressure must be < 150/100 mm Hg (antihypertensive medication allowed)
• No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• No unstable angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmia

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No history of allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to AZD2171
• No ongoing or active infection
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
• No other uncontrolled illness

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• More than 3 months since prior adjuvant immunotherapy
• No prior immunotherapy for recurrent or metastatic disease

Chemotherapy

• No prior chemotherapy (including regional therapy)

Radiotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy

Surgery

• More than 4 weeks since prior major surgery

Other

• Recovered from prior therapy
• No prior or concurrent participation in another clinical trial involving biologic agents, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy agents
• The following concurrent medications affecting renal function may be used with caution:
• Vancomycin
• Amphotericin
• Ibuprofen
• Pentamidine
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy
• No other concurrent investigational agents