Docetaxel in Treating Children With Relapsed or Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic or Acute Myeloid Leukemia

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed acute lymphoblastic or acute myeloid leukemia
• * M3 bone marrow relapse required
• Refractory to conventional chemotherapy
• No extramedullary disease at relapse
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 21 and under at time of initial diagnosis
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• At least 2 months
• Hematopoietic:
• Not specified
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• AST and ALT no greater than 1.5 times normal
• Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times normal
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times normal OR
• Creatinine clearance or radioisotope glomerular filtration rate at least 70 mL/min
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• At least 7 days since prior biologic therapy and recovered
• At least 6 months since prior allogeneic stem cell transplantation
• No concurrent immunomodulating agents during first 2 courses of therapy
• No concurrent routine filgrastim (G-CSF)
• Chemotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 2 weeks since prior chemotherapy (4 weeks for nitrosoureas) and recovered
• No prior paclitaxel or docetaxel
• No other concurrent chemotherapy during first 2 courses of therapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• No concurrent corticosteroid therapy except dexamethasone, low-dose hydrocortisone to treat allergic reactions, or treatment for adrenal crisis
• Radiotherapy:
• Recovered from prior radiotherapy
• At least 2 weeks since prior palliative local radiotherapy
• At least 6 months since prior craniospinal radiotherapy or radiotherapy to at least 50% of the pelvis
• At least 6 weeks since prior substantial bone marrow radiotherapy
• No concurrent radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• Not specified