RATIONALE: Vaccines may make the body build an immune response to kill tumor cells. It is not yet known what preparation of vaccine therapy is most effective for treating melanoma.

PURPOSE: Randomized phase II trial to study the effectiveness of tyrosinase/gp100 peptide vaccine in treating patients who have stage II melanoma that can be removed by surgery.

OBJECTIVES: I. Determine immune reactivity in HLA-A2 positive patients with resectable stage IIA or IIB melanoma treated with vaccine comprising tyrosinase peptide and gp100 antigen emulsified in Montanide ISA-51 (ISA-51) alone or in combination with sargramostim (GM-CSF).

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to stage (IIA vs IIB). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms: Arm I: Patients receive vaccine comprising tyrosinase peptide and gp100 antigen emulsified in Montanide ISA-51 (ISA-51) alone subcutaneously (SQ) once a week on weeks 0, 2, 4, 6, 10, 14, 18, and 26. Arm II: Patients receive treatment as in arm I followed by sargramostim (GM-CSF) SQ for 5 days after each vaccination. Patients are followed every 3 months for 2 years, every 6 months for 3 years, and then annually thereafter.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 50 patients (25 per arm) will be accrued for this study within 3 years.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven stage IIA or stage IIB resectable cutaneous melanoma rendered disease free Clinically uninvolved lymph nodes by physical examination OR Pathologically uninvolved lymph nodes or sentinel lymph nodes after either complete node dissection or selective lymphadenectomy, respectively No evidence of metastatic disease within 28 days prior to definitive surgery HLA-A2 positive

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: ECOG 0-1 Hematopoietic: No coagulation disorders No significant hematologic abnormality Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL No significant liver abnormality Renal: Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL No significant kidney abnormality Cardiovascular: No major medical illness of the cardiovascular system Pulmonary: No major medical illness of the respiratory system Other: No known allergic reaction to Montanide ISA-51 or sargramostim (GM-CSF) No major systemic infections Not pregnant or nursing HIV negative Hepatitis B surface antigen negative Hepatitis C antibody negative No prior uveitis or autoimmune inflammatory eye disease No active autoimmune disease No other malignancy within past 5 years

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: At least 1 month since prior adjuvant therapy or any other therapy for cancer Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: Not specified Endocrine therapy: No concurrent steroid therapy Radiotherapy: At least 1 month since prior radiotherapy Surgery: See Disease Characteristics