Vaccination Therapy in Treating Patients With Limited-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically or cytologically proven limited stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) Must have completed adequate first-line combined modality treatment comprising at least 4-6 courses of a 2-drug chemotherapy regimen and chest radiotherapy No evidence of disease progression or relapse Disease response (complete or partial) after treatment
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: Karnofsky 60-100% Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: WBC greater that 3,000/mm3 Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: AST less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal Hepatitis B negative Renal: Not specified Cardiovascular: Adequate cardiac function Other: HIV negative Not pregnant or nursing Fertile patients must use effective contraception No prior malignancy within 5 years except adequately treated nonmelanomatous skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix No history of tuberculosis No grade 3 local skin toxicity reaction (ulceration) to 5 IU or greater of PPD test No active infections requiring systemic antibiotics, antiviral, or antifungal treatments No serious unstable chronic illnesses No psychological, familial, sociological, or geographical condition that would preclude study
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: No prior therapy with proteins of murine origin At least one month since prior immunotherapy No other concurrent immunotherapy Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics No concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: No concurrent chronic use of systemic corticosteroids Radiotherapy: See Disease Characteristics No concurrent radiotherapy including prophylactic cranial irradiation No prior spleen radiotherapy Surgery: No prior surgery for SCLC No prior splenectomy Other: No prior second-line therapy for SCLC At least one month since prior investigational agents No concurrent chronic use of systemic antihistamines or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs No concurrent immunosuppressive therapy