STI571 Plus Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia or Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• One of the following diagnoses:
• * Chronic myelogenous leukemia in lymphoid blast crisis
• * Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) that is in first relapse or failed induction
• * No more than 1 prior course of induction chemotherapy
• * Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) by cytogenetic analysis OR bcr/abl translocation by fluorescent in situ hybridization
• At least 30% blasts in bone marrow
• Ineligible for or refused allogeneic stem cell transplantation
• Not previously treated with imatinib mesylate OR currently receiving imatinib mesylate with stable disease on 2 bone marrow biopsies at least 2 weeks apart
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin less than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• ALT and AST less than 3 times ULN
• Renal:
• Creatinine less than 2 times ULN
• Cardiovascular:
• No New York Heart Association class III or IV cardiac disease
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception during and for at least 2 weeks after study for female patients and at least 3 months after study for male patients
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior allogeneic bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation
• At least 48 hours since prior interferon alfa
• Chemotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 24 hours since prior hydroxyurea
• At least 6 weeks since prior busulfan
• Concurrent hydroxyurea or anagrelide for severe leukocytosis or thrombocytosis allowed
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• Not specified
• Surgery:
• Not specified
• Other:
• No prior therapy for blast crisis except hydroxyurea
• No prior salvage or reinduction therapy for Ph+ ALL
• At least 4 weeks since other prior investigational agents