Vaccine Therapy and Sargramostim in Treating Patients With Sarcoma or Brain Tumor

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of 1 of the following malignancies: Stage III or IV sarcoma, including: Leiomyosarcoma Synovial cell sarcoma Liposarcoma Gastrointestinal stromal tumor Brain tumor, including: Diffuse pontine glioma* Glioblastoma multiforme Glialsarcoma NOTE: *For patients with diffuse pontine glioma, the requirement for histologic verification may be waived No known curative therapy HLA A*0201 positive by genotyping PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age Over 2 Performance status Karnofsky 60-100% (patients over age 16) Lansky 60-100% (patients under age 16) Life expectancy Not specified Hematopoietic WBC greater than 3,000/mm^3 Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1,500/mm^3 Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm^3 Hepatic AST and ALT less than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) Bilirubin less than 1.5 times ULN Renal Creatinine less than 1.5 times ULN Cardiovascular No clinically significant cardiovascular disease Pulmonary No clinically significant pulmonary disease PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy No prior hematopoietic stem cell transplantation No other concurrent vaccine therapy No other concurrent immunotherapy Chemotherapy No prior chemotherapy No concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy Concurrent dexamethasone allowed provided patient has been on a decreasing dose for the past 2 weeks and the current dose is the lowest clinically acceptable dose (ideally, less than 9-12 mg/day) Radiotherapy No prior extensive-field radiotherapy that would compromise bone marrow function At least 2 weeks since prior local radiotherapy Surgery At least 2 weeks since prior surgery Other At least 2 weeks since prior imatinib mesylate No concurrent local anesthetic to administration site of vaccine