Biological Therapy Following Surgery in Treating Patients With Stage III or Stage IV Melanoma

OBJECTIVES: * Evaluate the efficacy of immunotherapy with irradiated autologous tumor cell vaccine and sargramostim (GM-CSF) followed by monoclonal antibody OKT3- activated T lymphocytes and interleukin-2 in combination with surgery in terms of response rate in patients with stage III or IV malignant melanoma. * Determine the immunogenicity of malignant melanoma in this patient population. OUTLINE: Patients are stratified according to extent of disease, extent of antigen specific response to vaccination, performance status (0 vs 1), prior therapy (yes vs no), and gender. Patients undergo surgical resection of tumor on week 1. Within 1-2 weeks of surgery, patients are vaccinated with irradiated autologous tumor cells and sargramostim (GM-CSF), then receive GM-CSF alone intradermally at vaccination sites daily for 4 days. Patients are revaccinated 2 weeks later. Patients undergo peripheral blood mononuclear cell collection two weeks after the second vaccination. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells are stimulated with anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (OKT3) and interleukin-2, producing activated T lymphocytes. The activated T lymphocytes are infused IV over 1-6 hours followed by 5 doses of interleukin-2 IV every other day over 10 days. Treatment continues in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients may receive one additional course of immunotherapy as above. Patients are followed every 3 months for 2 years, then every 6 months thereafter. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 60 patients will be accrued for this study.