A Pilot Study To Access The Immunologic Response To Booster Vaccination With A Modified gp100 Melanoma Peptide (209-2M) Vaccine In Previously Vaccinated HLA-A2.1+ Patients With Melanoma

Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Completed treatment on PPMC-IRB-99-9*

- At least 12 months since last vaccination NOTE: *Patients are not required to
have received every planned vaccine as long as the reason for stopping was not
disease progression or dose-limiting toxicity

- No current evidence of melanoma, as defined by one of the following:

- Disease-free since completion of PPMC-IRB-99-9

- Recurrence occurred but was completely resected

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

- Over 16

Performance status

- Karnofsky 80-100%

Life expectancy

- Not specified

Hematopoietic

- WBC at least 3,500/mm^3

- Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

- Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL

Hepatic

- Bilirubin no greater than 2 mg/dL

Renal

- Creatinine no greater than 2 mg/dL

Other

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 6 months
after study participation

- No other concurrent medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude study
participation

- No concurrent significant systemic infection

- No other concurrent cancer or at low risk for recurrence of prior cancers

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

- See Disease Characteristics

Chemotherapy

- Not specified

Endocrine therapy

- No concurrent systemic corticosteroids for intercurrent illness

Radiotherapy

- Not specified

Surgery

- Recovered from prior major surgery