Vaccine Therapy, GM-CSF, and Interferon Alfa-2b in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Cancer That Expresses Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)

Inclusion criteria

* Histologically confirmed carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-expressing carcinoma * Metastatic or locally advanced disease * Tumor accessible for biopsy * Must have received ≥ 1 prior systemic regimen for metastatic disease * No known brain metastases * Performance status - ECOG 0-2 * Performance status - Karnofsky 60-100% * More than 6 months * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 * Bilirubin ≤ 2.0 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * AST and ALT ≤ 4.0 times ULN * Hepatitis B negative * Hepatitis C negative * Creatinine ≤ 1.96 mg/dL * Creatinine clearance \> 50 mL/min * No persistent proteinuria * Protein \< 1,000 mg by 24-hour urine collection * No urinary sediment abnormalities * No symptomatic congestive heart failure * No unstable angina pectoris * No cardiac arrhythmia * No clinically significant cardiomyopathy requiring treatment * No impaired function (i.e., ejection fraction \< 50%) for patients who have not had prior vaccine and are asymptomatic * HIV negative * No ongoing or active infection * No history of allergic reaction to eggs or egg products * No history of allergy or untoward reaction to prior vaccinia vaccination (e.g., smallpox immunization) or to any of its components * No history of or active eczema or other eczematoid skin disorders * No atopic dermatitis * No other acute, chronic, or exfoliative skin conditions, including any of the following: * Burns * Impetigo * Varicella zoster * Severe acne * Other open wounds or rashes * No immunocompromised condition * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 3 months after completion of study treatment * No sexual contact for 3 weeks after each vaccination treatment * Must be willing to undergo tumor biopsy * No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance * No life-threatening illness * No other active malignancy within the past 2 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or superficial bladder or cervical lesions treated with surgical resection * No other uncontrolled illness * Must be able to avoid close household contact with the following individuals for ≥ 3 weeks after vaccinia vaccination: * Pregnant or nursing women * Children under 5 years of age * Individuals who are immunodeficient or immunosuppressed by disease or therapy (including HIV infection) * Individuals with the following conditions: * History of or active eczema or other eczematoid skin disorders * Atopic dermatitis * Other acute, chronic, or exfoliative skin conditions (e.g., burns, impetigo, varicella zoster, severe acne, or other open rashes or wounds) * No concurrent influenza vaccine * More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered * No concurrent steroid therapy, except topical or inhaled steroids * No concurrent steroid eye drops * More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered * More than 4 weeks since prior surgery and recovered * No prior splenectomy * No other concurrent investigational agents