Vaccine Plus Interleukin-2 in Treating Patients With Advanced Melanoma

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed cutaneous melanoma with clinical evidence of distant, metastatic, unresectable regional lymphatic, or extensive in-transit recurrent disease * HLA-A2\*0201 positive by genotyping * Measurable disease as defined by the following: * At least 1 lesion accurately measured in at least 1 dimension * At least 20 mm by conventional techniques * At least 10 mm by spiral CT scan * Lesions considered intrinsically nonmeasurable include: * Bone lesions * Leptomeningeal disease * Ascites * Pleural/pericardial effusion * Inflammatory breast disease * Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis * Abdominal masses not confirmed and followed by imaging techniques * Cystic lesions * Lesions situated in a previously irradiated area * No ocular or mucosal melanoma * No prior or concurrent liver or brain metastases * Performance status - ECOG 0-1 * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL * LDH normal * Bilirubin normal * AST no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal * Creatinine normal * No congestive heart failure, angina, or symptomatic cardiac arrhythmia * No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months * No severe chronic pulmonary disease * Not pregnant or nursing * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No primary or secondary immunodeficiency or autoimmune disease * No currently active second malignancy (e.g., patient has completed therapy and is considered unlikely to have recurrence within 1 year) other than nonmelanoma skin cancer * At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy * No prior interleukin-2 * No prior whole cell or gp100:209-217(210M)-targeted melanoma vaccine * No other concurrent cytokines or growth factors * At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy * At least 1 month since prior systemic corticosteroids * No concurrent systemic, inhaled, or topical corticosteroids * At least 1 month since other prior immunosuppressive medication * No antihypertensive medications from 1 day prior until 2 days after first course