Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TIL Cells) Transduced With An Interleukin-2 (SBIL-2) Gene Following The Administration Of A Nonmyeloablative But Lymphocyte Depleting Regimen in Metastatic Melanoma

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy such as cyclophosphamide and fludarabine use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Inserting the gene for interleukin-2 into a person's tumor infiltrating lymphocytes may make the body build an immune response to kill tumor cells. Combining cyclophosphamide and fludarabine with gene-modified tumor cells may kill more cancer cells.

PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of gene-modified tumor infiltrating lymphocytes when given together with cyclophosphamide and fludarabine and to see how well they work in patients with metastatic melanoma (phase I is closed to accrual 3/29/06).