Ganglioside Vaccine vs. High dose Inteferon Alfa-2b

Title: Phase II Study in Conjunction with the Southwest Oncology Group

Eligibility Requirements:
Patients with melanoma of cutaneous origin.
No prior chemotherapy.
Entry at diagnosis or first recurrence for this study.

Patients will be randomized to receive either the vaccine injection or the inteferon injection administered on an outpatient basis.

Biochemotherapy with Cisplatin, Vinblastine, Dacarbazine, IL-2 and Inteferon a-2b vs. Cisplatin, Vinblastine, Dacarbazine alone in Patients with Metastatic Malignant Melanoma.

Title: Phase III Study in Conjunction with the Southwest Oncology Group

Eligibility Requirements:
Patients must have a diagnosis of surgically incurable metastatic melanoma.
Prior immunotherapy including interferon alpha, in the adjuvant setting is permitted.

Patients will be randomized to receive either the chemotherapy alone or biochemotherapy. Those randomized to receive biochemotherapy will be treated inpatient for 5 days.