Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage III or Stage IV Melanoma

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed melanoma * Stage III (lymph node or in-transit metastases) or IV (systemic metastases) disease * Patients with relapsed disease OR who failed prior immunotherapy or chemotherapy are eligible (but trial not restricted to relapsed or refractory disease) * Tumor tissue available and properly stored for lysate preparation PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * Karnofsky 60-100% Life expectancy * At least 12 weeks Hematopoietic * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,000/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm\^3 Hepatic * AST ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (3 times ULN for liver metastases) * Bilirubin ≤ 2 times ULN * Hepatitis B surface antigen negative * Hepatitis C negative Renal * Creatinine ≤ 2.0 times ULN Immunologic * No active infection * No history of autoimmune disease, including any of the following: * Inflammatory bowel disease * Systemic lupus erythematosus * Scleroderma * Rheumatoid arthritis * Multiple sclerosis * No allergy to aminoglycosides or streptomycin * HIV negative Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No significant comorbid illness * No other malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * See Disease Characteristics * At least 10 days since prior immunotherapy Chemotherapy * See Disease Characteristics Endocrine therapy * At least 6 weeks since prior steroid therapy * No concurrent corticosteroids Radiotherapy * At least 10 days since prior radiotherapy * No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery * At least 10 days since prior surgery * Prior diagnostic or palliative surgery allowed provided the patient has fully recovered Other * No concurrent immunosuppressive or potentially immunosuppressive therapy