Biological Therapy in Treating Patients With Metastatic Melanoma

RATIONALE: Biological therapies such as cellular adoptive immunotherapy use different ways to stimulate the immune system and stop cancer cells from growing. Treating a person's white blood cells in the laboratory and then reinfusing them may cause a stronger immune response and kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of biological therapy in treating patients who have metastatic melanoma.

OBJECTIVES: Primary * Determine the safety and toxicity of cellular adoptive immunotherapy comprising autologous CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocyte clones targeting cancer-testis antigens in patients with metastatic melanoma. * Determine the duration of in vivo persistence of this therapy in these patients. Secondary * Evaluate the antitumor effects of this therapy in these patients. OUTLINE: Patients undergo leukapheresis to obtain peripheral blood mononuclear cells and then CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) clones are generated ex vivo. Patients receive cellular adoptive immunotherapy comprising autologous CD8+ CTL clones targeting cancer testis antigens IV over 30 minutes on day 1. Patients also receive interleukin-2 subcutaneously every 12 hours on days 1-14 of courses 2-4. Treatment repeats every 3 weeks for 4 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients who demonstrate a clinical response after completion of the fourth course are eligible to receive additional T-cell infusions. Patients are followed for 9 months. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 20 patients will be accrued for this study within 3 years.