ALVAC gp100 Vaccine(NCI)

Background:
gp100 is a protein that is often found in melanoma tumors.
An experimental procedure developed for treating patients with melanoma uses anti-gp100 cells designed to destroy their tumors. The anti-gp100 cells are created in the laboratory using the patient's own tumor cells or blood cells.
The treatment procedure also uses a vaccine called plaque purified canarypox vector (ALVAC) gp100, made from a virus that ordinarily infects canaries and is modified to carry a copy of the gp100 gene. The virus cannot reproduce in mammals, so it cannot cause disease in humans. When the vaccine is injected into a patient, it stimulates cells in the immune system that may increase the efficiency of the anti gp 100 cells.
Objectives:
-To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of anti-gp100 cells and the ALVAC gp100 vaccine in treating patients with advanced melanoma.
Eligibility:
-Patients with metastatic melanoma for whom standard treatments have not been effective.
Design:
Patients undergo scans, x-rays and other tests and leukapheresis to obtain white cells for laboratory treatment.
Patients have 7 days of chemotherapy to prepare the immune system for receiving the gp100 cells.
Patients receive the ALVAC vaccine, anti-gp100 cells and interleukin-2 (IL-2) (an approved treatment for advanced melanoma). The anti gp100 cells are given as an infusion through a vein. The vaccine is given as injections just before the infusion of gp100 cells and again 2 weeks later. IL-2 is given as a 15-minute infusion every 8 hours for up to 5 days after the cell infusion for a maximum of 15 doses.
After hospital discharge, patients return to the clinic for periodic follow-up with a physical examination, review of treatment side effects, laboratory tests and scans every 1 to 6 months.