Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage III or Stage IV Breast Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the breast

  * Stage III or IV disease
  * Primary or recurrent disease
  * Invasive lobular carcinoma allowed
* HLA-A1, -A2, -A3, or -A31 positive
* Underwent and recovered from prior primary therapy

  * Patients with no clinical or radiological evidence of disease who had a previous diagnosis of stage III or IV breast cancer must have undergone prior antineoplastic therapy including, but not limited to, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy within the past 36 months
* Must have at least one undissected axillary and/or inguinal lymph node basin
* No history of brain metastases
* Hormone receptor status

  * Estrogen receptor-positive or -negative tumor

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* ECOG performance status of 0 or 1
* Body weight \> 110 lbs (without clothes)
* Male or female
* Menopausal status not specified
* Absolute neutrophil count \> 1000/mm\^3
* Platelet count \> 100,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin \> 9 g/dL
* Hemoglobin A1c \< 7%
* AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Bilirubin ≤ 2.5 x ULN
* Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 x ULN
* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 x ULN
* HIV negative
* Hepatitis C negative
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No known or suspected allergies to any component of the vaccine
* No active infection requiring antibiotics
* No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
* No autoimmune disorders requiring cytotoxic or immunosuppressive therapy or autoimmune disorders with visceral involvement, except the following:

  * Laboratory evidence of autoimmune disease (e.g., positive ANA titer) without symptoms
  * Clinical evidence of vitiligo
  * Other forms of depigmenting illness
  * Mild arthritis requiring nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs
* No medical contraindication or potential problem that would preclude study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* More than 4 weeks since prior surgery
* More than 4 weeks since prior and no concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy
* More than 4 weeks since prior and no concurrent allergy desensitization injections
* More than 4 weeks since prior parenteral, oral, or inhaled corticosteroids

  * No concurrent inhaled steroids (e.g., Advair® or triamcinolone acetonide)
  * Prior or concurrent topical corticosteroids allowed
* More than 4 weeks since prior and no concurrent growth factors (e.g., epoetin alfa, darbepoetin alfa, or pegfilgrastim)
* More than 4 weeks since prior and no concurrent other investigational medication
* More than 4 weeks since prior and no concurrent other agents with putative immunomodulating activity except for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents
* Prior and concurrent hormonal therapy (e.g., tamoxifen, raloxifene, toremifene, fulvestrant, letrozole, anastrozole, or exemestane) allowed
* No prior vaccination with any synthetic peptides in this protocol

  * Vaccines for infectious disease (e.g., influenza) allowed, provided they are administered ≥ 2 weeks prior to or ≥ 2 weeks after study vaccine
* Short term therapy for acute conditions not related to breast cancer allowed
* No concurrent illegal drugs