Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage IIB, Stage III, or Stage IV Colorectal Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Diagnosis of colorectal cancer * Stage IIB, III, or IV disease * HLA-A2- or -A3-positive PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy * Not specified Hematopoietic * Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin \> 9 g/dL * Platelet count \> 100,000/mm\^3 Hepatic * Liver function tests ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) Renal * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN Cardiovascular * No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No known or suspected allergies to any component of the study drug * No active connective tissue disease requiring medications * No systemic autoimmune disease with visceral involvement * No uncontrolled diabetes * No other severe autoimmune disease * No medical contraindication or potential problem that would preclude study compliance PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * More than 30 days since prior immunotherapy * More than 30 days since prior growth factors * More than 30 days since prior allergy shots * No prior vaccination with any study peptides for malignancy Chemotherapy * More than 30 days since prior chemotherapy Endocrine therapy * More than 30 days since prior steroids Radiotherapy * More than 30 days since prior radiotherapy Surgery * More than 30 days since prior surgery Other * At least 30 days, but ≤ 24 months, since prior therapy for colorectal cancer * No concurrent illegal drug use