DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed glioblastoma multiforme (astrocytoma WHO grade IV disease)

  • Newly diagnosed disease
  • Resectable tumor (not including patients undergoing biopsy only or tumors involving the brain stem or cerebellum)

• Meets 1 of the following criteria regarding standard chemoradiotherapy:

  • Cohort 1

    • Eligible for standard chemoradiotherapy with temozolomide followed by adjuvant temozolomide

      • Has undergone surgical resection before study enrollment

  • Cohort 2

    • Completed standard chemoradiotherapy with temozolomide with no subsequent progression of disease
• Expected to complete standard chemoradiotherapy and 6 courses of adjuvant temozolomide
• HLA-A*02 positive

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• WHO performance status 0-1
• Life expectancy ≥ 30 weeks
• Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1.5 x 10^9/L
• Lymphocyte count ≥ 1.0 x 10^9/L (cohort 1) OR ≥ 0.35 x 10^9/L post-chemoradiotherapy and ≥ 1.0 x 10^9/L prior to the start of chemoradiotherapy (cohort 2)
• Serum bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• ALT or AST ≤ 3.0 times ULN
• Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 3.0 times ULN
• Hepatitis B serology negative (HBcAg-seronegative)
• No known hepatitis C or HIV serological positivity
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use one (male) or two (female) highly effective forms of contraception 2 weeks before, during, and for 6 months after completion of study therapy
• Not at high medical risk due to nonmalignant systemic disease including active uncontrolled infection
• No known hypersensitivity to GM-CSF or excipients
• No history of autoimmune disease
• No concurrent congestive heart failure
• No prior history of NYHA class III-IV cardiac disease, cardiac ischemia, or cardiac arrhythmia
• No other condition that might interfere with the patient's ability to generate an immune response
• No other condition that, in the investigator's opinion, would make the patient not a good candidate for the clinical trial

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 7 days since prior dexamethasone (dose > 4 mg daily or equivalent)
• At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery for any condition (except surgical resection as part of primary standard therapy in cohort 1)
• At least 30 days since prior and no concurrent participation in another clinical trial or planning to participate in another interventional clinical trial (concurrent participation on an observational study allowed)
• At least 30 days since prior and no other concurrent investigational drugs

• No prior treatment for glioblastoma including Gliadel Wafers

  • Early components of standard therapy are allowed if already initiated (i.e., surgical resection [cohort 1] or surgical resection followed by conventional external-beam radiotherapy and concomitant temozolomide [cohort 2])
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy
• No other concurrent vaccinations from 2 weeks before the first study vaccine to the end of the sixth study vaccine (the induction phase)