Phenylbutyrate and Tretinoin in Treating Patients With Hematologic Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically or cytologically confirmed myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)
• * Refractory anemia
• * Primary refractory leukopenia or thrombocytopenia with morphologic features of MDS
• * Refractory anemia with excess blasts (RAEB)
• * Refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts
• * RAEB in transformation
• * Must have excess blasts or be hematopoietically compromised, defined as one of the following:
• * RBC transfusion dependent
• * Granulocyte count less than 1,000/mm\^3
• * Platelet count less than 50,000/mm\^3 OR
• Diagnosis of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia
• * Hematopoietically compromised (as defined above) OR
• * Excess blasts OR
• * Evaluable disease related symptomatology (organomegaly or leukemia cutis) OR
• Diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia
• * WBC less than 20,000/mm\^3 and stable for at least 2 weeks
• * Unlikely to require cytotoxic therapy during study
• No CNS or pulmonary leukostasis or CNS leukemia
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• Zubrod 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Hemoglobin at least 8 g/dL (transfusion allowed)
• No disseminated intravascular coagulation
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin less than 2.0 mg/dL (unless due to hemolysis or Gilbert's syndrome)
• Renal:
• Creatinine less than 2.0 mg/dL
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception for 2 weeks prior, during, and for 3 months after study
• No active infection
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 3 weeks since prior biologic therapy, including hematopoietic growth factors, and recovered
• Chemotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 3 weeks (1 month for MDS patients) since prior chemotherapy and recovered
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• Surgery:
• Not specified