OBJECTIVES:
* Determine the antileukemic effects of tumor-specific Breakpoint Cluster Region-Abelson Murine Leukemia(BCR-ABL) junction specific peptide vaccine, as measured by a decrease in circulating BCR-ABL transcripts by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), that persist for at least 3 months, in patients with chronic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia.
* Determine the percentage of patients treated with this vaccine who become RT-PCR-negative for BCR-ABL transcripts.
* Compare response in patients with B3A2 junctions vs B2A2 junctions when treated with this vaccine.
* Determine the immunologic response over 1 year in patients treated with this vaccine.
* Correlate response with specific HLA types in these patients.
* Determine the safety of this vaccine in these patients.
OUTLINE: This is a pilot, multicenter study.
Patients receive BCR-ABL junction-specific peptide vaccine subcutaneously in weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, and 11 and then once monthly for 10 months.
BCR-ABL transcript levels are assessed by quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction at baseline, weeks 2, 4, and 6, every 3 months during treatment, and then 2 weeks after completion of study treatment.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 20 patients will be accrued for this study.
