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