Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Metastatic Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Diagnosis of melanoma Metastatic disease The following melanoma subtypes are eligible: Unresectable, stage III-IV uveal melanoma Metastatic mucosal melanoma Measurable disease after attempted curative surgical therapy Tumor tissue must be available for immunohistochemical staining Positive for ≥ 1 of the following peptides: MART-1: 26-35 (27L) gp100: 209-217 (210M) Tyrosinase: 368-376 (370D) HLA-A *0201 positive by DNA polymerase chain reaction assay PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: ECOG performance status (PS) 0-1 OR Karnofsky PS 70-100% Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL Bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dL WBC ≥ 3,000/mm^3 Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm^3 Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL No major systemic infections No coagulation disorders No major medical illness of the cardiovascular or respiratory system No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception No known HIV positivity No know positivity for hepatitis B surface antigen or hepatitis C antibody No prior uveitis or autoimmune inflammatory eye disease No other prior malignancy except cervical carcinoma in situ or basal cell skin cancer unless patient was curatively treated > 5 years ago and has no detectable disease PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: See Disease Characteristics No more than 1 prior cytotoxic chemotherapy agent or regimen Prior biologic or antiangiogenic therapies allowed More than 1 month since prior and no concurrent radiotherapy, chemotherapy, adjuvant therapy, or any other therapy for melanoma No prior MART-1: 26-35 (27L), gp100: 209-217 (210M), or tyrosinase: 368-376 (370D) peptides No concurrent steroid therapy