Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Refractory Stage IV Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed malignancy that is refractory to standard therapy known to have a survival benefit

  * Stage IV disease
* Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-expressing tumor, as evidenced by 1 of the following:

  * Immunohistochemistry with at least 50% of the tumor with at least moderate intensity of staining
  * Peripheral blood CEA greater than 2.5 mg/dL
  * Tumor known to be universally CEA positive (i.e., colon or rectal cancer)
* HLA-A201 positive
* Measurable disease\*

  * At least 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion at least 20 mm by conventional techniques OR at least 10 mm by spiral CT scan NOTE: \*Histologic or cytologic confirmation is not required for measurable disease restricted to a solitary lesion
* Received at least 1 prior standard chemotherapy regimen known to have a survival benefit
* Previously resected brain metastases allowed provided CT scan or MRI was performed within the past month and shows no metastasis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

* 18 and over

Performance status

* Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy

* More than 6 months

Hematopoietic

* WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL (transfusions or red blood cell growth factors \[e.g., epoetin alfa\] allowed)
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3

Hepatic

* Bilirubin less than 2.0 mg/dL (unless patient has Gilbert's disease)
* SGOT/SGPT less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal
* No hepatic disease that would preclude study participation
* No viral hepatitis (including chronic hepatitis) by hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis C serology

Renal

* Creatinine less than 2.5 mg/dL
* No urinary tract infection

Cardiovascular

* No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease

Immunologic

* No history of autoimmune disease, including any of the following:

  * Inflammatory bowel disease
  * Systemic lupus erythematosus
  * Ankylosing spondylitis
  * Scleroderma
  * Multiple sclerosis
* No active acute or chronic infection
* HIV negative

Other

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No other serious chronic or acute illness that would preclude study participation
* No medical or psychological impediment that would preclude study compliance
* No other malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer, controlled carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or controlled superficial bladder cancer
* No allergy to study vaccine components

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy
* No other concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy
* No concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

* At least 6 weeks since prior steroid therapy (except steroids administered as premedication for chemotherapy or contrast-enhanced studies)
* Concurrent hormonal therapy allowed for patients with breast cancer
* No concurrent steroid therapy

Radiotherapy

* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
* No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery

* Not specified

Other

* Recovered from prior therapy
* At least 4 weeks since prior investigational therapy
* At least 4 weeks since other prior therapy
* Any number of prior therapies are allowed
* Concurrent bisphosphonates allowed for bone metastases
* No concurrent immunosuppressive therapy (e.g., azathioprine or cyclosporine)
* No other concurrent experimental therapies