Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage IIIB, Stage IIIC, or Stage IV Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Diagnosis of stage IIIB, IIIC, or IV melanoma HLA-DR1, -DR4, -DR11, -DR13, or -DR15 positive Brain metastases allowed at the discretion of the principle investigator PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age 18 and over Performance status ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy Not specified Hematopoietic Absolute neutrophil count > 1,000/mm^3 Platelet count > 100,000/mm ^3 Hemoglobin > 9 g/dL Hepatic Liver function tests ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) Renal Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN Cardiovascular No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease Other Prior diagnosis of other cancer allowed Not pregnant or nursing Weight ≥ 110 pounds No uncontrolled diabetes PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy More than 4 weeks since prior growth factors More than 4 weeks since prior allergy shots More than 12 weeks since prior melanoma vaccine therapy* NOTE: *Prior melanoma vaccine allowed only for patients with disease progression during or after administration of the vaccine No prior vaccination with any of the peptides used in this study Chemotherapy More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy Endocrine therapy More than 4 weeks since prior steroids Radiotherapy More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy Surgery Not specified Other More than 1 month since prior investigational drugs or therapies No other concurrent investigational drugs or therapies