Aldesleukin With or Without Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Melanoma

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To identify whether the addition of the peptide vaccine to high dose interleukin (IL)-2 (aldesleukin) can result in a clinical response rate which may be superior to that found in similar patients treated with high dose IL-2 alone. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To evaluate the toxicity profile of patients treated on this trial, according to the regimen received. II. To compare the disease free/progression free survival of patients treated on both arms of the study. III. To determine the immunologic response experienced by patients who have received the peptide vaccination, as measured by changes in T-cell precursors from before to after treatment. IV. To evaluate the quality of life of patients before and after high-dose IL-2. OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. ARM I: Patients receive aldesleukin intravenously (IV) over 15 minutes every 8 hours for 12 doses. ARM II: Patients receive gp100 antigen emulsified in Montanide ISA-51 subcutaneously (SC) on day 1. Patients also receive aldesleukin as in Arm I beginning on day 2. In both arms, treatment repeats every 3 weeks for 2 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients with stable or responding disease 3 weeks after completing 2 courses may receive a maximum of 12 additional courses. Patients with complete response may receive a maximum of 2 additional courses. After completion of treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months for 1 year, every 4 months for 1 year, every 6 months for 2 years, and then annually thereafter.