Immunization of Patients With Metastatic Melanoma Using Immunodominant Peptides From the Tyrosinase Protein or Tyrosinase Related Protein-1 (TRP1)

OBJECTIVES:

• Determine whether patients with refractory metastatic melanoma undergo partial or complete response to peptides specific to their HLA-antigen, either alone or when combined with 1 of 3 adjuvants.
• Evaluate the immunologic response to the peptide alone or when combined with 1 of 3 adjuvants in these patients.

OUTLINE: Patients are stratified by HLA status (A1 vs A3 vs A24 vs A31).

Patients are assigned to 1 of 4 vaccine groups:

• Group 1 (HLA-A1 positive): Patients receive tyrosinase:240-251.
• Group 2 (HLA-A3 positive): Patients receive gp100:17-25. (closed to accrual 5/17/2000)
• Group 3 (HLA-A24 positive): Patients receive tyrosinase:206-214.
• Group 4 (HLA-A31 positive): Patients receive tyrosinase related protein-1. Each peptide vaccine is separately emulsified in Montanide ISA-51 and administered subcutaneously into the thigh. Patients are treated with peptide vaccine alone or combined with 1 of 3 possible adjuvants (interleukin-2 (IL-2) IV, IL-2 delayed IV, or sargramostim (GM-CSF) SQ) depending on the time of entry into study and response to treatment.