DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-expressing carcinoma

  • Metastatic or locally advanced disease
• Tumor accessible for biopsy
• Must have received ≥ 1 prior systemic regimen for metastatic disease
• No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• ECOG 0-2 OR
• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy

• More than 6 months

Hematopoietic

• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic

• Bilirubin ≤ 2.0 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST and ALT ≤ 4.0 times ULN
• Hepatitis B negative
• Hepatitis C negative

Renal

• Creatinine ≤ 1.96 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance > 50 mL/min
• No persistent proteinuria*
• Protein < 1,000 mg by 24-hour urine collection*
• No urinary sediment abnormalities* NOTE: *Proteinuria, urinary sediment abnormalities, or hematuria allowed if found to be, after evaluation, nonrenal in origin or to represent renal changes that are stable and unlikely to progress during course of vaccination

Cardiovascular

• No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• No unstable angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmia
• No clinically significant cardiomyopathy requiring treatment
• No impaired function (i.e., ejection fraction < 50%) for patients who have not had prior vaccine and are asymptomatic

Immunologic

• HIV negative
• No ongoing or active infection
• No history of allergic reaction to eggs or egg products
• No history of allergy or untoward reaction to prior vaccinia vaccination (e.g., smallpox immunization) or to any of its components
• No history of or active eczema or other eczematoid skin disorders
• No atopic dermatitis

• No other acute, chronic, or exfoliative skin conditions, including any of the following:

  • Burns
  • Impetigo
  • Varicella zoster
  • Severe acne
  • Other open wounds or rashes
• No immunocompromised condition

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test

• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 3 months after completion of study treatment

  • No sexual contact for 3 weeks after each vaccination treatment
• Must be willing to undergo tumor biopsy
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
• No life-threatening illness
• No other active malignancy within the past 2 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or superficial bladder or cervical lesions treated with surgical resection
• No other uncontrolled illness

• Must be able to avoid close household contact with the following individuals for ≥ 3 weeks after vaccinia vaccination:

  • Pregnant or nursing women
  • Children under 5 years of age
  • Individuals who are immunodeficient or immunosuppressed by disease or therapy (including HIV infection)

  • Individuals with the following conditions:

    • History of or active eczema or other eczematoid skin disorders
    • Atopic dermatitis
    • Other acute, chronic, or exfoliative skin conditions (e.g., burns, impetigo, varicella zoster, severe acne, or other open rashes or wounds)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• No concurrent influenza vaccine

Chemotherapy

• More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered

Endocrine therapy

• No concurrent steroid therapy, except topical or inhaled steroids
• No concurrent steroid eye drops

Radiotherapy

• More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery

• More than 4 weeks since prior surgery and recovered
• No prior splenectomy

Other

• No other concurrent investigational agents