Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Metastatic Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Diagnosis of melanoma * Metastatic disease * The following melanoma subtypes are eligible: * Unresectable, stage III-IV uveal melanoma * Metastatic mucosal melanoma * Measurable disease after attempted curative surgical therapy * Tumor tissue must be available for immunohistochemical staining * Positive for ≥ 1 of the following peptides: * MART-1: 26-35 (27L) * gp100: 209-217 (210M) * Tyrosinase: 368-376 (370D) * HLA-A \*0201 positive by DNA polymerase chain reaction assay PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * ECOG performance status (PS) 0-1 OR Karnofsky PS 70-100% * Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL * Bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dL * WBC ≥ 3,000/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL * No major systemic infections * No coagulation disorders * No major medical illness of the cardiovascular or respiratory system * No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No known HIV positivity * No know positivity for hepatitis B surface antigen or hepatitis C antibody * No prior uveitis or autoimmune inflammatory eye disease * No other prior malignancy except cervical carcinoma in situ or basal cell skin cancer unless patient was curatively treated \> 5 years ago and has no detectable disease PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics * No more than 1 prior cytotoxic chemotherapy agent or regimen * Prior biologic or antiangiogenic therapies allowed * More than 1 month since prior and no concurrent radiotherapy, chemotherapy, adjuvant therapy, or any other therapy for melanoma * No prior MART-1: 26-35 (27L), gp100: 209-217 (210M), or tyrosinase: 368-376 (370D) peptides * No concurrent steroid therapy