Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed solid malignancy

- Surgically or medically incurable disease

- No standard chemotherapy or radiotherapy exists for this disease

- Tumor of at least 0.5 cm but no more than 2.5 cm infiltrating into or underlying the
skin

- Cutaneous metastases, subcutaneous metastases, or tumor-involved lymph nodes
that are easily palpable

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- 18 and over

Performance status:

- ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy:

- More than 3 months

Hematopoietic:

- WBC greater than 3,000/mm^3

- Platelet count greater than 80,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin less than 2.0 mg/dL

Renal:

- Creatinine less than 2.0 mg/dL

Other:

- HIV negative

- No active infections requiring antibiotic, antiviral, or antifungal treatment

- No other active malignancy

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- At least 1 month since prior immunotherapy

- No concurrent colony-stimulating factors

Chemotherapy:

- See Disease Characteristics

- At least 1 month since prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

- At least 1 month since prior steroids (other than intermittent use as an antiemetic
or topical agent)

- No concurrent steroids

Radiotherapy:

- See Disease Characteristics

- Prior radiotherapy to vaccine site allowed provided there is documentation of
progressive disease

Surgery:

- See Disease Characteristics

- No prior organ allografts

Other:

- No other concurrent antineoplastic therapy

- No other concurrent investigational drugs