Imatinib in Patients With Mucosal or Acral/Lentiginous Melanoma

- If tests show that the patient is eligible and they choose to participate in the study,
they will receive a bottle of Gleevec pills. Each pill will be 100mg and the
participant will take 4 pills once daily (400mg). The dose may increase to 400mg twice
a day if the participant's cancer worsens.

- The following study procedures will also be performed at routine intervals throughout
the course of treatment: blood tests, medical history updates; physical exams, Positron
Emission tomography (PET) scan, and Chest/Abdomen/Pelvic CT.

- Participants will be on this study for approximately one year.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Melanomas that arise on chronically sun damaged skin and have pathologic evidence of
solar elastosis

- History of primary mucosal or acral/lentiginous melanoma

- Histologically documented stage IV metastatic melanoma

- ECOG performance status 0,1, or 2

- Estimated life expectancy of 6 months or greater

- Age 18 years or older

- Creatinine < 1.5 x ULN

- ANC > 1500 ul

- Platelets > 100,000 ul

- Total bilirubin, AST, and ALT < 2 x ULN

- Amylase and lipase < 1.5 x ULN

- C-kit mutation documented from either primary or metastatic tumor site

- > 4 weeks from prior chemotherapy or investigational drug

- At least one measurable site of disease as defined by at least 1 cm in greatest
dimension

Exclusion Criteria:

- Severe and/or uncontrolled medical disease

- Pregnant or nursing mothers

- Any other significant medical, surgical, or psychiatric condition that my interfere
with compliance

- Patient is < 5 years free of another primary malignancy except: basal cell skin
cancer or a cervical carcinoma in situ

- Concurrent treatment with Warfarin

- Prior treatment with c-kit inhibitor

- Patient with Grade III/IV cardiac problems as defined by NYHA criteria

- No H2 blockers or proton pump inhibitors

- Known brain metastasis

- Known chronic liver disease

- Known diagnosis of HIV infection

- Previous radiotherapy to > 25% of the bone marrow

- Major surgery within 2 weeks prior to study entry

- Patient has received any other investigational agent within 28 days of first study
drug dosing

- Chemotherapy within 4 weeks prior to study entry