Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage IV Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed stage IV melanoma that is considered incurable by surgery, radiotherapy, or limb perfusion * M1a or M1b disease * Measurable disease outside prior field of limb perfusion * Metastatic mucosal melanoma allowed * MAGE-3 positive by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction * No uveal or choroidal primary melanoma * No prior or concurrent brain metastases by CT scan or MRI of the brain PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * Not specified Performance status * Zubrod 0-1 Life expectancy * Not specified Hematopoietic * Not specified Hepatic * Hepatitis B surface antigen negative * Hepatitis C negative * No liver cirrhosis * No unstable liver disease * No coagulation disorders Renal * Not specified Cardiovascular * No major cardiovascular illness * No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months Pulmonary * No major pulmonary illness Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * HIV negative * No AIDS or HIV-1-associated complex * No chronic alcohol abuse or drug addiction * No systemic infections * No prior active autoimmune disease * No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or adequately treated stage I or II cancer from which the patient is currently disease-free PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * At least 4 weeks since prior adjuvant biologic therapy * No prior biologic therapy for stage IV melanoma * No prior MAGE-3 peptide or protein vaccine preparation Chemotherapy * At least 4 weeks since prior adjuvant chemotherapy * No prior chemotherapy for stage IV melanoma Endocrine therapy * Not specified Radiotherapy * At least 4 weeks since prior adjuvant radiotherapy Surgery * At least 4 weeks since prior surgery Other * See Disease Characteristics * At least 3 weeks since prior limb perfusion and recovered * At least 4 weeks since other prior adjuvant therapy * No other prior therapy for stage IV melanoma