Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients Who Have Stage II, Stage III, or Stage IV Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed stage II, III, or IV cutaneous malignant melanoma No evidence of disease at time of entry to protocol Definitive complete surgical resection within past 12 months HLA-A2 positive

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 or over Performance status: ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: WBC at least 3,000 cells/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000 cells/mm3 No clinically significant hematologic disease that would preclude study Hepatic: SGOT and SGPT less than 2 times upper limit of normal Bilirubin less than 2 mg/dL No clinically significant hepatic disease that would preclude study Renal: Creatinine less than 2 mg/dL No clinically significant renal disease that would preclude study Cardiovascular: No clinically significant cardiac disease that would preclude study Other: No clinically significant underlying condition that would preclude study No significant autoimmune disease or other major immune system disorder HIV negative HTLV negative Hepatitis B and C negative No active infection requiring parenteral antibiotics No psychiatric disorder that could hinder protocol compliance Not pregnant or nursing Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: No prior or concurrent immunotherapy At least 3 months since prior interferon therapy Chemotherapy: No prior or concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: No prior or concurrent immunosuppressants Radiotherapy: At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy Surgery: At least 4 weeks since prior surgery Other: No other prior or concurrent experimental anticancer therapy