Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With HER2/Neu Positive or Negative Stage IV Breast Cancer or Other HER2/Neu Positive Cancers

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed breast cancer meeting 1 of the following criteria: * Recurrent and/or metastatic lesions that are HER2/neu-positive or negative * Recurrent or progressive cancer of the lung, ovary, pancreas, prostate, bladder, or other primary site associated with HER2/neu-positive tumor by histochemistry * Bone-only metastatic breast cancer, cytologically confirmed malignant effusions, histologically confirmed marrow involvement, or other evaluable (but non-measurable) metastatic disease allowed * Failed prior first-line chemotherapy (e.g., anthracycline- or taxane-based therapy) with or without adjuvant chemotherapy or hormonal therapy * No curative or reliably effective palliative surgery, radiotherapy, or medical therapy available * Stable brain metastases allowed provided the following criteria are met\*: * Previously treated * No concurrent requirement for corticosteroids * No radiological or clinical deterioration within the past 6 weeks NOTE: \*Patients who had recent treatment with gamma knife or intensity-modulated radiotherapy for brain metastases are eligible provided there has been recovery from known or anticipated toxic effects * Patients with no HLA-A2 allele are eligible * Hormone receptor status: * Not specified PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Sex * Female or male Menopausal status * Not specified Performance status * ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy * At least 4 months Hematopoietic * Absolute granulocyte count ≥ 1,000/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 Hepatic * Bilirubin ≤ 2 mg/dL * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * ALT and AST ≤ 2 times ULN Renal * BUN ≤ 30 mg/dL * Creatinine ≤ 2 mg/dL * ≤ 1 g protein on 24-hour urine collection OR * ≤ 1+ proteinuria on urinalysis Cardiovascular * Hypertension controlled by agents (except beta-blockers) allowed Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * HIV negative * No history of anaphylactic reaction to any known or unknown antigen * No history of clinical hypersensitivity to sargramostim (GM-CSF), interferon, yeast, beef, or to any components used in preparation of study vaccine * No clinical or laboratory features indicative of AIDS * No rheumatological, psychiatric, or other clinically progressive major medical problems requiring treatment * No other malignancy within the past 2 years PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * More than 3 weeks since prior biological therapy, including trastuzumab (Herceptin\^®) * More than 3 weeks since prior immunotherapy * No concurrent immunotherapy Chemotherapy * See Disease Characteristics * More than 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy (8 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) * No concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy * See Disease Characteristics * More than 3 weeks since prior hormonal therapy * No concurrent hormonal therapy * No concurrent systemic steroids * Concurrent inhalation steroids for respiratory hypersensitivity (e.g., triamcinolone nasal or pulmonary inhalers) allowed Radiotherapy * See Disease Characteristics * More than 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy * No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery * More than 3 weeks since prior major surgery with general anesthesia * No concurrent major surgery Other * Recovered from prior therapy * Patients receiving pamidronate, bisphosphonates, or other supportive measures must continue therapy during study participation * No concurrent anticoagulants * No concurrent beta-blockers for control of mild hypertension or other indications