Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Primary Stage II Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed primary stage II melanoma greater than 1.5 mm without evidence of lymph node metastases * T3 or T4, N0, M0 * Must originate in the skin * Wide excision with a minimum of 1-2 cm margin surrounding primary lesion or biopsy scar * No more than 56 days since definitive surgical treatment (wide excision) * No more than 12 weeks since primary surgery * No clinical, radiological, or pathological evidence of incompletely resected disease, lymph node metastases, in-transit metastasis, or any distant metastatic disease PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: * 18 to 80 Performance status: * ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy: * Not specified Hematopoietic: * WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3 * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin at least 9.8 g/dL Hepatic: * SGOT/SGPT no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2 times ULN * LDH no greater than 2 times ULN * Bilirubin no greater than 2 times ULN * Hepatitis B and C negative Renal: * Creatinine normal Other: * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * No prior or other concurrent cancer except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or basal or squamous cell skin cancer * No autoimmune disorders * No conditions requiring systemic treatment with immunosuppressive drugs including treatment with systemic corticosteroids * No history of CNS demyelinating or inflammatory disease * No hereditary or acquired peripheral neuropathy * No other significant medical or surgical condition or psychiatric disorders requiring medication that would preclude study * No history of severe allergic reaction to shellfish * HIV negative PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: * No prior immunotherapy * No other concurrent biologic therapy Chemotherapy: * No prior systemic chemotherapy * No concurrent cytotoxic chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: * No concurrent hormonal therapy except replacement therapy * No concurrent corticosteroids * No concurrent chronic systemic steroids Radiotherapy: * No prior adjuvant radiotherapy * No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery: * See Disease Characteristics Other: * No prior preoperative infusion or perfusion therapy * No concurrent immunosuppressive medications * No other concurrent anticancer therapy