Patient description: A 42-year-old healthy woman came to the clinic to have her flu shot in early October. She works in a rehab center and has no underlying disease. It's her first time getting the vaccine this year. She is married for 5 years and uses barrier methods of contraception. Her menstrual cycle is irregular. She does not smoke. She is not on any medications. She exercises regularly for 30 minutes a day at least 5 days a week. She has no history of allergies to any food or drugs. Her past surgical history is significant for tonsillectomy and she is otherwise healthy.

Clinical trial eligibility criteria: eligible ages (years): 18.0-999.0,  Desmoplastic Melanoma A: Patients must have histologically or cytologically confirmed primary desmoplastic melanoma that is deemed resectable; the decision to perform surgery on patients must be based on good clinical judgment; eligible patients for surgical resection must have disease that, in the judgment of the surgeon, is deemed completely resectable resulting in free surgical margins; patients must have residual disease after initial biopsy which can be measurable or non-measurable disease per Response Evaluation in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1; residual disease can either be confirmed with fine-needle aspiration (FNA) or if measurable disease is present, no FNA needs to be obtained OR B: Patients must have histologically or cytologically confirmed primary desmoplastic melanoma that is unresectable; patients in Cohort B must have measurable disease per 1.1 Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scans of the chest, abdomen and pelvis are required; a whole body positron emission tomography (PET)/CT scan with diagnostic quality images and intravenous iodinated contrast may be used in lieu of a contrast enhanced CT of the chest, abdomen and pelvis; imaging of the head and neck is required only if the patient has a head/neck primary; contrast may be omitted if the treating investigator believes that exposure to contrast poses an excessive risk to the patient; if skin lesions are being followed as measurable disease, photograph with a ruler included and physician measurements, must be kept in the patient's chart as source documentation; all measurable lesions must be assessed within 28 days prior to registration; tests to assess non-measurable disease must be performed within 42 days prior to registration; all disease must be assessed and documented on the baseline tumor assessment form (RECIST 1.1) Patients must not have known brain metastases unless brain metastases have been treated and patient is asymptomatic with no residual neurological dysfunction and has not received enzyme-reducing anti-epileptic drugs or corticosteroids for at least 14 days prior to registration Patients must not have received prior systemic treatment for this melanoma Patients must not be planning to receive concomitant other biologic therapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, other chemotherapy, anti-cancer surgery or other anti-cancer therapy while on this protocol Patients must not have received radiation therapy, non-cytotoxic agents or investigational agents or systemic corticosteroids within 14 days prior to registration Patients may have received prior surgery; all adverse events associated with prior surgery must have resolved to =< grade 1 (per Common Terminology for Adverse Events [CTCAE] 4.0) prior to registration Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) >= 1,500/mcl (obtained within 28 days prior to registration) Platelets >= 50,000/mcl (obtained within 28 days prior to registration)