Melanoma vaccine(Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)

RATIONALE: Aldesleukin may stimulate the white blood cells to kill tumor cells. Vaccines may help the body build an effective immune response to kill tumor cells. Giving aldesleukin together with vaccine therapy may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known whether aldesleukin is more effective with or without vaccine therapy in treating melanoma.
PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying how well aldesleukin works when given with or without vaccine therapy in treating patients with stage IV melanoma.