DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically proven hepatocellular carcinoma

  • Any stage
• HLA-A*0201 positive
• Alpha fetoprotein (AFP) positive tumor by immunohistochemistry OR
• AFP levels greater than 30 ng/mL
• No organ allografts

• No uncontrolled CNS metastasis

  • Patients with prior CNS metastasis are eligible if they have received prior CNS irradiation to control local tumor growth

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• Over 18

Performance status:

• Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Hemoglobin greater than 9.0 g/dL (transfusion independent)
• Platelet count greater than 50,000/mm^3
• WBC greater than 3,000/mm^3
• Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

• Not specified

Renal:

• Not specified

Cardiovascular:

• No history of New York Heart Association class III or IV cardiac insufficiency or coronary artery disease
• No ischemic heart disease that would increase risk

Pulmonary:

• No lung disease that would increase risk
• No dyspnea at rest

Immunologic:

• Positive skin test to common antigens (tetanus and candida)
• No congenital or acquired condition leading to an inability to generate an immune response

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No opportunistic infection
• No acute viral, bacterial, or fungal infection that requires specific therapy
• HIV negative
• No concurrent condition that would preclude study treatment
• No allergy to reagents used in this study

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy
• No concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• No concurrent corticosteroids

Radiotherapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy

Surgery:

• Not specified

Other:

• At least 2 weeks since prior acute therapy for acute viral, bacterial, or fungal infection
• No concurrent immunosuppressive therapy (e.g., cyclosporine)