Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Ovarian Epithelial or Primary Peritoneal Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed ovarian epithelial or primary peritoneal cancer
* Completed primary therapy (surgery and chemotherapy for newly diagnosed disease) within the past 12 months and meets 1 of the following criteria:

  * Clinical or radiographic evidence of disease
  * Serologic evidence of disease
  * Initial diagnosis of stage III or IV disease AND completed anticancer therapy within the past 12 months
* At least 2 intact axillary and/or inguinal lymph node basins

  * Prior lymph node biopsy allowed provided lymphoscintigraphy demonstrates intact drainage to a node in that basin
* HLA-A1-, -A2-, or -A3-positive

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

* 18 and over

Performance status

* GOG 0-2

Life expectancy

* Not specified

Hematopoietic

* Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,500/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin \> 8.0 g/dL OR
* Hematocrit \> 25%
* Platelet count ≥ 80,000/mm\^3

Hepatic

* AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal
* Hepatitis C negative

Renal

* Not specified

Cardiovascular

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

Immunologic

* HIV negative
* No active infection requiring antibiotics
* No prior or active autoimmune disorder requiring cytotoxic or immunosuppressive therapy
* No prior autoimmune disorder with visceral involvement
* No known or suspected allergy to any component of the study vaccine
* The following immunologic conditions are allowed:

  * Laboratory evidence of autoimmune disease (e.g., positive antinuclear antibody titer) that is asymptomatic
  * Clinical evidence of vitiligo or other forms of depigmenting illness
  * Mild arthritis requiring non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Other

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* Weight ≥ 110 lbs
* No uncontrolled diabetes, defined as hemoglobin A1C ≥ 7%
* No active hyperthyroidism
* No current or recent (within the past year) addiction to alcohol or drugs
* No medical contraindication or other potential medical problem that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* More than 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent allergy desensitization injections
* More than 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent growth factors (e.g., epoetin alfa or pegfilgrastim)
* More than 1 month since prior and no other concurrent immunotherapy
* More than 2 weeks since prior and no other concurrent potential immunomodulating agents, including any of the following:

  * Interferon
  * Tumor necrosis factor
  * Interleukins or other cytokines
  * Biologic response modifiers
  * Monoclonal antibodies
* No prior vaccination with all of the study peptides relevant to the patient's HLA-type

Chemotherapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* More than 1 month since prior chemotherapy and recovered
* No concurrent cytotoxic chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

* More than 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent parenteral or oral corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone or albuterol)

  * Topical corticosteroids allowed

Radiotherapy

* More than 1 month since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery

* See Disease Characteristics
* More than 1 month since prior surgery and recovered

Other

* More than 1 month since other prior treatment and recovered
* More than 1 month since prior and no other concurrent investigational agents