OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the toxicity of the human anti-idiotypic monoclonal antibody vaccine (4B5) plus adjuvant sargramostim (GM-CSF) or alum in patients with stage III or IV melanoma at high risk for recurrence following surgical resection. II. Determine whether 4B5 is associated with the development of humoral and/or cellular anti-anti-idiotypic immune response in these patients. III. Determine whether the immune response generated against 4B5 is also directed against the melanoma-associated GD2 antigen in these patients. IV. Determine whether the 4B5 plus adjuvant GM-CSF or alum can elicit an immune response to GD2 in these patients.