Sargramostim, Vaccine Therapy, or Sargramostim and Vaccine Therapy in Preventing Disease Recurrence in Patients With Melanoma That Has Been Removed By Surgery

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To compare overall survival and disease-free survival of patients with completely resected stage IV melanoma or stage III melanoma with gross extranodal extension, satellites, and/or intransit lesions, treated with granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) (sargramostim) vs. no GM-CSF, or other high risk patients listed in the eligibility section. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To compare, using a 2 x 2 factorial design, overall survival and disease-free survival of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A2 positive patients treated with peptide vaccination vs. no peptide vaccination. II. The following descriptive evaluations of survival and disease-free survival are planned for the HLA-A2 positive patients: (1) GM-CSF plus peptide vaccination vs. peptide vaccination alone; (2) GM-CSF plus peptide vaccination vs. GM-CSF alone; (3) GM-CSF plus peptide vaccination vs. placebo. III. Survival and disease-free survival of HLA-A2 positive patients not receiving peptide vaccination will be compared to that of HLA-A2 negative patients not receiving peptide vaccination. IV. To determine the influence of GM-CSF on circulating dendritic cell numbers and subpopulations in peripheral blood of patients receiving and not receiving GM-CSF. V. To determine, in HLA-A2 positive patients, whether immunization with peptides with or without GM-CSF elicits a measurable T-cell response as assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT) and the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) tetramer assay, and to determine the functionality of these cells by intracellular cytokine staining. OUTLINE: HLA-A2 positive patients are randomized to 1 of 4 treatment regimens (Arms I-IV). HLA-A2 negative patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms (Arms V-VI). ARM I: Patients receive sargramostim subcutaneously (SC) on days 1-14 and peptide vaccine comprising tyrosinase, gp100 antigen, and MART-1 antigen mixed with either incomplete Freund's adjuvant or Montanide ISA-51 VG SC on days 1 and 15 (course 1) and day 1 (course 2 and subsequent courses). ARM II: Patients receive sargramostim placebo SC on days 1-14 and peptide vaccine comprising tyrosinase, gp100 antigen, and MART-1 antigen mixed with either incomplete Freund's adjuvant or Montanide ISA-51 VG SC on days 1 and 15 (course 1) and day 1 (course 2 and subsequent courses). ARM III: Patients receive sargramostim SC on days 1-14 and peptide placebo mixed with either incomplete Freund's adjuvant or Montanide ISA-51 VG SC on days 1 and 15 (course 1) and day 1 (course 2 and subsequent courses). ARM IV: Patients receive sargramostim placebo SC on days 1-14 and peptide placebo mixed with either incomplete Freund's adjuvant or Montanide ISA-51 VG SC on days 1 and 15 (course 1) and day 1 (course 2 and subsequent courses). ARM V: Patients receive sargramostim SC on days 1-14. ARM VI: Patients receive sargramostim placebo SC on days 1-14. In all arms, treatment repeats every 28 days for up to 13 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. In the event of recurrence, patients who undergo complete resection of the recurrence may continue treatment for 6 courses or until completion of 1 year of therapy (whichever is longer). For patients with recurrence that is not surgically resectable or experiencing second recurrence, treatment will be discontinued. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months for 2 years, every 6 months for 3 years, and then every 12 months for 10 years.