Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients at High Risk for Breast Cancer Recurrence

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Diagnosis of breast cancer at high risk for recurrence, defined by one of the following:
• •* Stage IV that is free of all known disease after eradication by surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy
• •* May or may not have elevated CA 15-3 or CEA levels
• •* Stage I, II, or III previously treated with adjuvant chemotherapy and clinically free of identifiable disease, but have rising CA 15-3 or CEA levels
• •* Rising CA 15-3 and CEA defined as a prior normal level increased on 2 consecutive occasions at least 2 weeks apart
• •* For patients with a significant history of smoking who have a chronically elevated CEA (less than 15), CEA must be increased at least 1.5 times the uppermost chronic value on 2 consecutive occasions at least 2 weeks apart
• •* Stage III and completed adjuvant therapy no more than 24 months ago
• •* Recurrence in the ipsilateral axilla after lumpectomy and/or axillary dissection or modified radical mastectomy
• •* Recurrence in the ipsilateral breast after lumpectomy and/or axillary dissection
• •* Stage II with at least 4 positive axillary nodes and completed adjuvant therapy no more than 24 months ago
• •* Stage IV that is stable on hormonal therapy
• •Hormone receptor status:
• •* Not specified
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age:
• •18 and over
• •Sex:
• •Male or female
• •Menopausal status:
• •Not specified
• •Performance status:
• •Karnofsky 80-100%
• •Life expectancy:
• •Not specified
• •Hematopoietic:
• •Lymphocyte count at least 500/mm\^3
• •WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
• •Hepatic:
• •AST no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• •Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• •Renal:
• •Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• •Cardiovascular:
• •No clinically significant New York Heart Association class III or IV cardiac disease
• •Other:
• •Not pregnant
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• •No prior seafood allergy
• •No known prior immunodeficiency or autoimmune disease
• •No other active cancer except basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy:
• •At least 6 weeks since prior immunotherapy
• •No prior vaccine with any of the antigens in this study
• •Chemotherapy:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy
• •No concurrent chemotherapy
• •Endocrine therapy:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •Radiotherapy:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• •No concurrent radiotherapy
• •Surgery:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •At least 4 weeks since prior surgery
• •Concurrent surgery for local recurrence allowed if patient remains disease free