Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Unresectable Metastatic Melanoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically proven metastatic, unresectable melanoma Dermal, subcutaneous, or lymph node metastases
Accessible for injection
Lesions must measure at least 1 cm
Patients with no prior treatment allowed

Patients must have one of the following as proof of prior vaccinia immunization:

Physician certification
Recollection and appropriate vaccination scar site
No encephalitis, untreated cerebral metastases, other structural brain lesions, or leptomeningeal disease
No ascites or pleural effusions
No leukemia or lymphoma

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age: Over 18
Performance status: ECOG 0-1 Karnofsky 80-100%
Life expectancy: Greater than 3 months
WBC greater than 4,000/mm3
Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3
Hemoglobin greater than 10g/dL
Bilirubin less than 1.5 mg/dL
Transaminases no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2 times ULN
PT/PTT no greater than 2 fold elevation in patients not receiving anticoagulation medications
No alcoholic cirrhosis
Creatinine less than 2.0 mg/dL OR creatine clearance greater than 60 mL/min
No congestive heart failure
No serious cardiac arrhythmias
No recent prior myocardial infarction
No clinical coronary artery disease
No chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception
No seizure disorders
No underlying immunosuppressive disorder
No autoimmune disease HIV negative
No skin diseases
No open wounds
No eczema or other contraindications to vaccinia virus administration
Patients must be able to avoid high risk individuals (e.g., immunosuppressed patients, children under 3 years, pregnant women, patients with active or a history of eczema, or patients with other skin conditions) for 7-10 days following treatment
No significant allergy or hypersensitivity to eggs
No active or chronic infections
No concurrent medical illness
No other significant medical disease which would increase risk to patient
No other prior malignancy within the past 5 years except stage I carcinoma of the cervix or basal cell carcinoma

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

At least 8 weeks since prior immunotherapy and recovered
No prior live pox virus vector
No more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens
At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered
At least 4 weeks since prior systemic corticosteroids
No systemic corticosteroids for concurrent illness
No concurrent immunosuppressive steroids
At least 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered (no bone marrow toxicity)
At least 6 months since prior radiotherapy for brain metastases and recovered
At least 4 weeks since prior surgery for management of the primary or metastatic lesions and recovered with remaining measurable disease
At least 6 months since prior surgery for brain metastases and recovered
No concurrent immunosuppressive drugs