Vaccine Therapy and Sargramostim in Treating Patients With Stage IV Malignant Melanoma

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the immunological effects of immunization protocols utilizing MART-1:27-35 (MART-1:27-35 peptide vaccine), tyrosinase (tyrosinase peptide) or gp-100 (gp100 antigen) peptides suspended in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) in the presence of two different concentrations of sargramostim (GM-CSF). II. Define the safety and toxicity profile of an immunization protocol utilizing varying concentrations of MART-1:27-35, tyrosinase and gp-100 peptides suspended in IFA in the presence of two different concentrations of GM-CSF. III. Collect preliminary data on therapeutic efficacy as it relates to parameters of immune function in patients with stage IV malignant melanoma. OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 3 treatment arms. ARM I: Patients receive tyrosinase peptide, MART-1:27-35 peptide vaccine, and gp100 antigen admixed in incomplete Freund's adjuvant subcutaneously (SC) on day 1 of weeks 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24. ARM II: Patients receive tyrosinase peptide, MART-1:27-35 peptide vaccine, and gp100 antigen admixed in incomplete Freund's adjuvant SC and lower-dose sargramostim SC on day 1 of weeks 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24. ARM III: Patients receive tyrosinase peptide, MART-1:27-35 peptide vaccine, and gp100 antigen admixed in incomplete Freund's adjuvant SC and higher-dose sargramostim SC on day 1 of weeks 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24. In all arms, treatment may repeat every 3 months for up to 18 months in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months for up to 3 years.