Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Melanoma of the Eye

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Diagnosis of ocular melanoma * No melanoma of the iris * Disease adequately treated by prior surgery (enucleation or tumorectomy) and/or radiotherapy * No more than 5 weeks since the beginning of primary tumor treatment * Measurable disease * At least 12.0 mm in largest diameter OR * At least 6.0 mm in height * HLA-A2 positive * No distant metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: * Over 18 Performance status: * ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy: * Not specified Hematopoietic: * Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL * Neutrophil count at least 2,000/mm\^3 * Lymphocyte count at least 700/mm\^3 * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3 * No bleeding disorder Hepatic: * Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL * AST and ALT no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Lactate dehydrogenase no greater than 2 times ULN * Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2 times ULN * Gamma glutamyl transpeptidases no greater than 2 times ULN * Hepatitis C antibody negative * Hepatitis B antigen negative Renal: * Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL Immunologic: * No clinical immunodeficiency * No autoimmune diseases * No inflammatory bowel disease * No active infection requiring antibiotics * No multiple sclerosis Other: * HIV negative * No other malignancy except surgically cured carcinoma in situ of the cervix or basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin * No other uncontrolled illness * No psychological, familial, sociological, or geographical conditions that would preclude study participation * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 3 months after study participation PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: * No other concurrent immunotherapy or biologic therapy Chemotherapy: * No concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: * At least 3 weeks since prior steroids * No concurrent chronic therapy with high doses of corticosteroids (e.g., methylprednisolone at least 12 mg/day) * Concurrent topical or inhalation steroids allowed * No concurrent hormonal therapy Radiotherapy: * See Disease Characteristics * Prior proton beam therapy allowed * Prior brachytherapy without tumor resection allowed * Recovered from prior radiotherapy * No prior radiotherapy to the spleen * No prior pre-enucleation radiotherapy * No prior ruthenium Ru 106 as primary therapy alone * No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery: * See Disease Characteristics * Prior transcleral tumor resection allowed * Recovered from prior surgery * No prior major organ allograft * No prior splenectomy Other: * No other concurrent investigational drugs * No concurrent systemic immunosuppressive drugs