Biological Therapy in Treating Patients With Metastatic Melanoma

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed metastatic melanoma
• HLA type expressing one of the following class II alleles:
• * DRB1\*0401
• * DRB1\*0404
• * DRB1\*1501
• * DPB1\*0401
• * DPB1\*0402
• Tumor expresses tyrosinase
• Tumor expressing NY-ESO-1 and are HLA type DP4, DP2, or DR7 allowed
• No CNS metastases
• * Prior CNS involvement allowed provided there is no evidence of CNS disease at least 2 months after treatment
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 to 75
• Performance status
• Karnofsky 70-100%
• Life expectancy
• More than 16 weeks
• Hematopoietic
• WBC greater than 4,000/mm\^3
• Absolute neutrophil count greater than 2,000/mm\^3
• Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm\^3
• Hematocrit greater than 30%
• Hepatic
• SGOT no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal
• INR no greater than 1.5 due to hepatic dysfunction
• No significant hepatic dysfunction, defined as hepatic toxicity grade 2 or greater
• Renal
• Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min
• Calcium no greater than 12 mg/dL
• Cardiovascular
• No significant cardiac abnormalities\*, defined by any 1 of the following:
• * Congestive heart failure
• * Clinically significant hypotension
• * Symptoms of coronary artery disease
• * Cardiac arrhythmias present on EKG requiring drug therapy NOTE: \*Patients with a history of cardiovascular disease or any of the above abnormalities undergo a cardiac evaluation, including a cardiac stress test and/or echocardiogram
• Pulmonary
• No clinically significant pulmonary dysfunction
• FEV1 at least 1.0 L OR
• FEV1 at least 60%
• DLCO at least 55% (corrected for hemoglobin)
• Immunologic
• No acquired or hereditary immunodeficiency
• No autoimmune disease
• No active infection
• No oral temperature greater than 38.2 degrees C within the past 72 hours
• No systemic infection requiring chronic maintenance or suppressive therapy
• HIV negative
• Other
• No retinitis or choroiditis
• No history of seizures
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after study
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• No other concurrent immunotherapy (e.g., interleukins, interferons, melanoma vaccines, IV immunoglobulin, or expanded polyclonal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes or lymphokine-activated killer therapy)
• Chemotherapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (standard or experimental) and recovered
• Endocrine therapy
• No concurrent systemic steroids except for toxicity management
• Radiotherapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• Surgery
• Not specified
• Other
• At least 4 weeks since prior immunosuppressive therapy
• More than 4 weeks since prior experimental drugs and recovered
• No concurrent pentoxifylline
• No other concurrent investigational agents