Vaccine Therapy and Interleukin-2 in Treating Patients With Metastatic Melanoma

RATIONALE: Vaccines may make the body build an immune response that will kill tumor cells. Interleukin-2 may stimulate a person's white blood cells to kill melanoma cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining vaccine therapy with interleukin-2 in treating patients who have metastatic melanoma.

OBJECTIVES: * Determine the response rate (partial response or complete remission) in patients with metastatic melanoma treated with vaccinia-tyrosinase vaccine, fowlpox-tyrosinase vaccine, and high-dose interleukin-2. * Determine the immunologic response, measured by the reactivity of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and serum immunoglobulins against tyrosinase and melanoma cells, in patients treated with this regimen. OUTLINE: Patients receive vaccinia-tyrosinase vaccine intramuscularly (IM) on day 1 followed by fowlpox-tyrosinase vaccine IM on days 15 and 29. Patients then receive high-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) IV over 15 minutes every 8 hours beginning on day 30 for up to 12 doses and again beginning approximately 3 weeks after the initial dose. Patients with stable disease or a minor, mixed, or partial response may receive additional courses of fowlpox-tyrosinase vaccine (2 doses) and IL-2 as above in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients with a complete response (CR) receive 1 additional course beyond achieving CR. Patients are followed annually for at least 5 years. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 19-35 patients will be accrued for this study within 2 years.