Vaccine Therapy and Imatinib Mesylate in Treating Patients With Chronic Phase Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Diagnosis of chronic myelogenous leukemia Chronic phase disease Philadelphia chromosome positive disease Disease in first complete hematologic response, defined by all of the following: Complete normalization of peripheral blood counts with WBC < 10,000/mm^3 Platelet count < 450,000/mm^3 No immature cells (e.g., myelocytes, metamyelocytes, or blasts) in the peripheral blood Persistent molecular evidence of disease Detectable BCR-ABL transcript by quantitative polymerase chain reaction Less than 2 log reduction in peripheral blood or bone marrow BCR-ABL transcripts levels compared to a standardized baseline Must have received imatinib mesylate for > 1 year of which the last 3 months were at stable dose ≥ 300 mg/day PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Not pregnant or nursing Fertile patients must use effective contraception Negative pregnancy test No known HIV ALT or AST ≤ 3 times upper limit of normal Oxygen saturation ≥ 93% at room air No history of recent acute myocardial infarction No history of unstable angina No pulmonary decomposition requiring hospitalization within the past 3 months No concurrent and/or uncontrolled psychiatric or medical condition that would preclude study compliance PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: See Disease Characteristics No prior allogeneic stem cell transplantation At least 2 months since other prior experimental therapy At least 6 months since prior participation in another vaccine study No concurrent systemic immunosuppressive medication