Testing Treatment With Ipilimumab and Nivolumab Compared to Treatment With Ipilimumab Alone in Advanced Melanoma

Inclusion Criteria

• Patients must have pathologically confirmed melanoma that is either stage IV or unresectable stage III; patients may have primaries of cutaneous, mucosal or unknown origin; patients with uveal (ocular) primary are not eligible
• Patients must have measurable disease per RECIST 1.1; all measurable lesions must be assessed by physical examination, computed tomography (CT) scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) within 28 days prior to registration; if the only measurable disease is cutaneous or subcutaneous, lesions must be at least 10 mm in greatest dimension and able to be serially recorded using calipers and photographs; tests used to assess non-measurable disease must have been performed within 42 days prior to registration; all disease must be assessed and documented on the Baseline Tumor Assessment Form
• Patients with central nervous system (CNS) metastases must have all lesions adequately treated with stereotactic radiation therapy, craniotomy, Gamma Knife (registered trademark) therapy, or whole brain radiotherapy, with no subsequent evidence of CNS progression; patients must not have required steroids for at least 14 days prior to registration; patients with a history of central nervous system metastases must have MRI of the brain within 42 days prior to registration
• Patients must have had prior treatment with anti-PD1 or anti-PD-L1 agents and had documented disease progression per the treating physician either while on these agents or after stopping therapy with these agents without intervening therapy; patients who received adjuvant therapy for previously resected disease with PD-1 or PD-L1 agents may also be eligible if disease recurrence occurred while still receiving the PD-1 or PD-L1 therapy and no intervening therapy was received; patients must have discontinued anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 therapy at least 21 days prior to registration
• Patients must be >= 18 years of age
• Patients must have Zubrod performance status of = = 1,500/mcL (within 28 days prior to registration)
• Hemoglobin >= 8 g/dL (within 28 days prior to registration)
• Platelets >= 100, 000/mcL (within 28 days prior to registration)
• Total bilirubin = = institutional lower limit of normal within 28 days prior to registration
• Patients with a known history of congestive heart failure (CHF), cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, myocardial infarction (MI), exposure to cardiotoxic medications, or with a clinical history suggestive of the above must have an electrocardiography (EKG) and echocardiogram (ECHO) performed within 42 days prior to registration and as clinically indicated while on treatment
• Patients with new symptoms of congestive heart failure (CHF), cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, myocardial infarction (MI), or exposure to cardiotoxic medications must have a cardiology consultation, creatinine phosphokinase (CPK), and troponin testing at prestudy and as clinically indicated
• Males who are sexually active with women of reproductive potential must have agreed to use birth control throughout the study and for 7 months after completion of protocol treatment; in addition to routine contraceptive methods, "effective contraception" also includes heterosexual celibacy and surgery intended to prevent pregnancy (vasectomy); if at any point a previously celibate patient chooses to become heterosexually active during or within 7 months after completion of protocol treatment, he is responsible for beginning effective contraceptive measures
• Patients must submit archival tissue (if available) for translational medicine; patients must also be willing to undergo biopsies and submit tissue and blood for translational medicine
• Patients must be offered the opportunity to participate in specimen banking of leftover tissue for future research
• Patients must be informed of the investigational nature of this study and must sign and give written informed consent in accordance with institutional and federal guidelines
• As a part of the Oncol