Monoclonal Antibody and Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage III or Stage IV Melanoma That Has Been Removed During Surgery

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically confirmed completely resected stage III or IV melanoma
• •* Mucosal or ocular subtypes allowed
• •HLA-A2 positive
• •Positive staining of tumor tissue with antibody HMB-45 for gp100, tyrosinase, and/or MART-1
• •Failed (or ineligible for or refusal of) interferon alfa
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age:
• •Not specified
• •Performance status:
• •Karnofsky 60-100%
• •Life expectancy:
• •At least 12 months
• •Hematopoietic:
• •WBC at least 2,500/mm\^3
• •Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• •Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• •Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL
• •Hematocrit at least 30%
• •Hepatic:
• •Bilirubin no greater than upper limit of normal (ULN)
• •AST no greater than 1.25 times ULN
• •Hepatitis B surface antigen negative
• •Hepatitis C antibody nonreactive
• •Renal:
• •Creatinine less than 1.25 times ULN
• •Immunologic:
• •Antinuclear antibody (ANA) negative OR
• •If ANA positive, must be:
• •* Antithyroglobulin antibody negative
• •* Rheumatoid factor negative
• •* Anti-LKM antibody negative
• •* Anti-phospholipid antibody negative
• •* Anti-islet cell antibody negative
• •* Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody negative
• •HIV negative
• •No autoimmune disease (e.g., uveitis or autoimmune inflammatory eye disease)
• •No active infection
• •No hypersensitivity to tyrosinase:368-376, gp100:209-217, MART-1:26-35, or Montanide ISA-51
• •Other:
• •No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, superficial bladder cancer, or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• •No underlying medical condition that would preclude study
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •No prior anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 monoclonal antibody
• •No prior tyrosinase, gp100, or MART-1 peptide
• •No prior antitumor vaccination
• •No prior interleukin-2
• •At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy for melanoma
• •Chemotherapy:
• •At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy for melanoma
• •Endocrine therapy:
• •At least 4 weeks since prior hormonal therapy for melanoma
• •At least 4 weeks since prior corticosteroids
• •No concurrent systemic or topical corticosteroids
• •Radiotherapy:
• •At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy for melanoma
• •Surgery:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •Other:
• •No prior cytotoxic therapy
• •At least 4 weeks since any other prior therapy for melanoma
• •Concurrent analgesics allowed if on stable dose for at least 2 weeks before study