This study will compare standard chemotherapy treatment to an investigational biochemotherapy treatment plan.
Standard treatment uses a multi-agent chemotherapy treatment plan.
Patients will be randomized to one of two treatment arms. Patients who are enrolled to this study will undergo surgery to remove the tumor. They will be asked for permission to use the remainder of the tumor and surrounding normal tissue for research purposes. SWOG 9431 Cytogenic Molecular and Cellular Biology Studies in Metastatic Melanoma Patients, Ancillary. Patients who are enrolled in this ancillary study must be enrolled in SWOG 9430.