Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage IV Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed cutaneous melanoma\*

  * Stage IV disease (i.e., distant metastasis)
  * Not curable by surgical resection
* NOTE: \*Metastatic melanoma with an unknown primary tumor allowed provided ocular melanoma can be definitely excluded and origin from the skin is likely
* Unidimensionally or bidimensionally measurable disease by physical examination and/or noninvasive radiological procedures

  * At least 1 measurable metastasis that has not been previously excised or biopsied
* Failed ≥ 1 standard chemotherapy or chemoimmunotherapy regimen (e.g., dacarbazine or cisplatin monotherapy)
* At least 1 metastatic lesion surgically accessible\* for excision or biopsy to obtain tumor material for RNA isolation\*\* NOTE: \*Surgically accessible metastatic lesion not required provided properly processed tumor material or isolated tumor RNA is available from a metastasis excised or biopsied within the past 6 months

NOTE: \*\*Major surgery not allowed for the acquisition of metastatic material solely for RNA isolation

* No active CNS metastases by CT scan or MRI

  * Previously treated CNS metastases (e.g., by excision of a single metastasis, gamma knife radiosurgery, or stereotactic radiotherapy) allowed provided there is no evidence of active CNS metastasis by CT scan or MRI

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

* Over 18

Performance status

* Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy

* At least 4 months

Hematopoietic

* WBC \> 2,500/mm\^3
* Neutrophil count \> 1,000/mm\^3
* Lymphocyte count \> 700/mm\^3
* Platelet count \> 75,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin \> 9 g/dL
* No bleeding disorders

Hepatic

* Bilirubin \< 2.0 mg/dL
* Hepatitis B surface antigen negative
* Hepatitis C antibody negative

Renal

* Creatinine \< 2.5 mg/dL

Cardiovascular

* No clinically significant heart disease

Pulmonary

* No respiratory disease

Immunologic

* HIV-1 or -2 negative
* Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I negative
* No known hypersensitivity to dimethylsulfoxide
* No immunodeficiency disease
* No active systemic infection
* No active autoimmune disease (except vitiligo), including any of the following:

  * Lupus erythematosus
  * Scleroderma
  * Rheumatoid arthritis (i.e., rheumatoid factor-positive arthritis with current or recent flare)
  * Ankylosing spondylitis
  * Autoimmune thyroiditis or uveitis
  * Autoimmune hemolytic anemia
  * Immune thrombocytopenic purpura
  * Multiple sclerosis
  * Inflammatory bowel disease

Other

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile female patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 4 weeks after completion of study treatment
* Willing to undergo excision or biopsy of metastasis
* Willing to be hospitalized for ≥ 24 hours after each vaccination
* Medical condition stable
* No contraindication to leukapheresis
* No organic brain syndrome
* No significant psychiatric abnormality that would preclude study participation
* No other active malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
* No other major serious illness

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* More than 4 weeks since prior systemic immunotherapy
* No systemic immunotherapy during and for 2 weeks after completion of study treatment

Chemotherapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* More than 4 weeks since prior systemic chemotherapy
* No systemic chemotherapy during and for 2 weeks after completion of study treatment

Endocrine therapy

* No systemic corticosteroids, including steroid-containing inhalers or chronic use of topical steroids over large areas of the body (if systemic effects are likely or obvious) during and for 2 weeks after completion of study treatment

Radiotherapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* More than 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy
* No prior radiotherapy to the spleen
* Concurrent palliative radiotherapy to selected metastases for pain or local complications (e.g., compression) allowed

Surgery

* See Disease Characteristics
* Recovered from prior surgery
* No prior splenectomy
* No prior organ allograft
* Concurrent palliative surgery to selected metastases for pain or local complications (e.g., compression) allowed

Other

* Concurrent palliative hyperthermic therapy to selected metastases for pain or local complications (e.g., compression) allowed
* No concurrent participation in any other clinical trial
* No other systemic immunosuppressive agents (e.g., azathioprine or cyclosporine) during and for 2 weeks after completion of study treatment
* No other investigational drugs or paramedical substances during and for 2 weeks after completion of study treatment