Aldesleukin With or Without Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage IV Melanoma

RATIONALE: Aldesleukin may stimulate the white blood cells to kill tumor cells. Vaccines may help the body build an effective immune response to kill tumor cells. Giving aldesleukin together with vaccine therapy may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known whether aldesleukin is more effective with or without vaccine therapy in treating melanoma. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying how well aldesleukin works when given with or without vaccine therapy in treating patients with stage IV melanoma.

OBJECTIVES: Primary * To compare the progression-free survival of patients with stage IV melanoma treated with aldesleukin with vs without allogeneic large multivalent immunogen melanoma vaccine LP2307. Secondary * To compare the clinical response in patients treated with these regimens. * To compare the 1- and 2-year survival rates in patients treated with these regimens. * To determine whether an immune response is generated after vaccination in these patients. OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. * Arm I: Patients receive allogeneic large multivalent immunogen melanoma vaccine LP2307 intradermally on day 1 and aldesleukin subcutaneously (SC) on days 7 and 8. Treatment repeats every 28 days for 12 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. * Arm II (control): Patients receive aldesleukin SC on days 1 and 2. Treatment repeats every 28 days for 12 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients with disease progression may cross over and receive treatment on arm I. Patients undergo blood sample collection periodically for correlative laboratory studies. Samples are analyzed for immune responses to keyhole limpet hemocyanin and tetanus toxoid (control antigens) by ELISA assay; IFN-γ production by CD8 T cells in response to melanoma-derived peptides by ELISpot assay; delayed-type hypersensitivity response to vaccination; and frequency of peripheral blood lymphocytes, including T cells, B cells, NK cells, and monocytes, by flow cytometry. * Arm III Crossover: Patients who have progressive disease on Arm II will be offered crossover to Arm I provided they continue to meet all study criteria. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed every 2 months for 1 year, every 3 months until disease progression, and then periodically thereafter.