Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Diagnosis of colorectal cancer

- Stage IIB, III, or IV disease

- HLA-A2- or -A3-positive

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

- 18 and over

Performance status

- ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy

- Not specified

Hematopoietic

- Absolute neutrophil count > 1,000/mm^3

- Hemoglobin > 9 g/dL

- Platelet count > 100,000/mm^3

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

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No known or suspected allergies to any component of the study drug

- No active connective tissue disease requiring medications

- No systemic autoimmune disease with visceral involvement

- No uncontrolled diabetes

- No other severe autoimmune disease

- No medical contraindication or potential problem that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

- More than 30 days since prior immunotherapy

- More than 30 days since prior growth factors

- More than 30 days since prior allergy shots

- No prior vaccination with any study peptides for malignancy

Chemotherapy

- More than 30 days since prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

- More than 30 days since prior steroids

Radiotherapy

- More than 30 days since prior radiotherapy

Surgery

- More than 30 days since prior surgery

Other

- At least 30 days, but ≤ 24 months, since prior therapy for colorectal cancer

- No concurrent illegal drug use