CP-675,206 (CTLA4-Blocking Monoclonal Antibody) Combined With Dendritic Cell Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage III or Stage IV Melanoma That Cannot Be Removed With Surgery

OBJECTIVES: Primary * Determine the safety and maximum tolerated dose of anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 monoclonal antibody (CTLA4-blocking monoclonal antibody; CP-675,206) administered with autologous dendritic cells pulsed with MART-1 antigen in patients with unresectable stage III or stage IV melanoma. * Determine the biological activity and immune effects of this regimen in these patients. Secondary * Correlate CTLA4 genotype with safety of this regimen and/or immune response in these patients. * Determine, preliminarily, the efficacy of this regimen, in terms of clinical benefit rate, in these patients. OUTLINE: This is an open-label, dose-escalation study of anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 monoclonal antibody (CTLA4-blocking monoclonal antibody; CP-675,206). Patients receive CP-675,206 IV on days 0, 28, 60, and 90 and autologous dendritic cells pulsed with MART-1 antigen intradermally on days 0, 14, and 28. After day 120, patients with stable or responding disease may receive additional doses of CP-675,206 monthly in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity Cohorts of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of CP-675,206 until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which 2 of 3 or 2 of 6 patients experience dose-limiting toxicity. Patients are followed every 3 months. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 3-21 patients will be accrued for this study within 3-10 months.