Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Ovarian Epithelial or Primary Peritoneal Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed ovarian epithelial or primary peritoneal cancer
• Completed primary therapy (surgery and chemotherapy for newly diagnosed disease) within the past 12 months and meets 1 of the following criteria:
• Clinical or radiographic evidence of disease
• Serologic evidence of disease
• Initial diagnosis of stage III or IV disease AND completed anticancer therapy within the past 12 months
• At least 2 intact axillary and/or inguinal lymph node basins
• Prior lymph node biopsy allowed provided lymphoscintigraphy demonstrates intact drainage to a node in that basin
• HLA-A1-, -A2-, or -A3-positive

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• GOG 0-2

Life expectancy

• Not specified

Hematopoietic

• Absolute neutrophil count > 1,500/mm^3
• Hemoglobin > 8.0 g/dL OR
• Hematocrit > 25%
• Platelet count ≥ 80,000/mm^3

Hepatic

• AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal
• Hepatitis C negative

Renal

• Not specified

Cardiovascular

• No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease

Immunologic

• HIV negative
• No active infection requiring antibiotics
• No prior or active autoimmune disorder requiring cytotoxic or immunosuppressive therapy
• No prior autoimmune disorder with visceral involvement
• No known or suspected allergy to any component of the study vaccine
• The following immunologic conditions are allowed:
• Laboratory evidence of autoimmune disease (e.g., positive antinuclear antibody titer) that is asymptomatic
• Clinical evidence of vitiligo or other forms of depigmenting illness
• Mild arthritis requiring non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• Weight ≥ 110 lbs
• No uncontrolled diabetes, defined as hemoglobin A1C ≥ 7%
• No active hyperthyroidism
• No current or recent (within the past year) addiction to alcohol or drugs
• No medical contraindication or other potential medical problem that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• More than 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent allergy desensitization injections
• More than 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent growth factors (e.g., epoetin alfa or pegfilgrastim)
• More than 1 month since prior and no other concurrent immunotherapy
• More than 2 weeks since prior and no other concurrent potential immunomodulating agents, including any of the following:
• Interferon
• Tumor necrosis factor
• Interleukins or other cytokines
• Biologic response modifiers
• Monoclonal antibodies
• No prior vaccination with all of the study peptides relevant to the patient's HLA-type

Chemotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• More than 1 month since prior chemotherapy and recovered
• No concurrent cytotoxic chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

• More than 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent parenteral or oral corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone or albuterol)
• Topical corticosteroids allowed

Radiotherapy

• More than 1 month since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery

• See Disease Characteristics
• More than 1 month since prior surgery and recovered

Other

• More than 1 month since other prior treatment and recovered
• More than 1 month since prior and no other concurrent investigational agents