Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage IV Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed stage IV melanoma * Must have tumor tissue available for determining antigen expression * At least 10% of tumor cells must stain positive for Melan-A/Mart-1 by immunohistochemistry * HLA-A2 positive * No brain metastases unless completely resected or without evidence of disease after treatment PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: * 18 and over Performance status: * ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy: * More than 3 months Hematopoietic: * Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm3 * WBC at least 3,000/mm3 * Platelet count at least 75,000/mm3 * Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL Hepatic: * SGOT and SGPT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times ULN * Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times ULN * Hepatitis B surface antigen negative * Hepatitis C antibody negative Renal: * Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN * Urea no greater than 2.6 times ULN Other: * Not pregnant, nursing, or planning to become pregnant within 6 months of treatment completion * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * HIV negative * No medical, sociological, or psychological impediments that would preclude study PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: * At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy * At least 4 weeks since prior immunomodulatory drugs * No other concurrent immunotherapy * No concurrent immunomodulatory drugs Chemotherapy: * At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy * No concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: * At least 4 weeks since prior systemic corticosteroids * No concurrent systemic corticosteroids Radiotherapy: * At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy * No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery: * See Disease Characteristics Other: * At least 4 weeks since prior investigational drugs * No other concurrent investigational drugs