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