Monoclonal Antibody Therapy and Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Resected Stage III or Stage IV Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed melanoma * Stage III (≥ 3 positive lymph nodes) or stage IV disease * Mucosal or ocular melanoma allowed * Completely resected within the past 6 months * Patients with stage III resected melanoma rendered free of disease may have failed, been ineligible for, or refused prior treatment with interferon alfa * Positive staining of tumor tissue for at least one of the following: * Antibody HMB-45 for gp100 * Antibody HMB-45 for tyrosinase * Antibody HMB-45 for MART-1 * HLA-A\*0201 positive by DNA allele-specific polymerase chain reaction assay PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy * At least 6 months Hematopoietic * WBC ≥ 2,500/mm\^3 * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 * Hematocrit ≥ 30% * Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL Hepatic * AST ≤ 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN)\* * Bilirubin ≤ ULN\* (\< 3.0 mg/dL for patients with Gilbert's syndrome) * No significant hepatic disease that would preclude study participation * Hepatitis B surface antigen negative * Hepatitis C antibody negative NOTE: \* Unless attributable to disease Renal * Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL * No significant renal disease that would preclude study participation Cardiovascular * No significant cardiac disease that would preclude study participation Pulmonary * No significant pulmonary disease that would preclude study participation Immunologic * No history …