Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Advanced Stage III-IV Melanoma

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To estimate the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and clinically appropriate dose of human heat shock protein (hsp)110-gp100 chaperone complex melanoma vaccine (recombinant hsp110-gp100 chaperone complex vaccine) to recommend a phase II dose in stage IIIB/C and stage IV metastatic melanoma patients. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To examine the effect of the recombinant human hsp110-gp100 chaperone complex vaccine on measurable clinical tumor. II. To determine gp100 and hsp110 specific cell mediated and humoral immune responses elicited by the chaperone complex vaccine. III. To determine the effect of dose and serial administration of the chaperone complex vaccine on cell mediated and humoral immune responses. IV. To quantify patient characteristics (human leukocyte antigen \[HLA\] subtype, immune cell function, etc.) that may correlate with immune response to the chaperone complex vaccine. OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation study. Patients receive recombinant hsp110-gp100 chaperone complex vaccine intradermally (ID) on days 1, 15, and 43 in the absence of unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up for 6 months.