FR901228 in Treating Patients With Hematologic Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Diagnosis of one of the following hematologic malignancies:
• * Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
• * Small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) (including Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia)
• * Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
• * Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
• Stratum I (CLL and SLL):
• * Received at least one prior therapy containing a purine analog OR
• * Received another form of therapy (including alkylating agents) due to history of severe autoimmune disease, requirement for chronic corticosteroid, or other contraindication to purine analog therapy
• Stratum II (AML and ALL):
• * Primary refractory or relapsed leukemia within the past year that is not amenable to curative therapy
• * OR
• * Untreated or previously treated poor-risk leukemia defined by any of the following:
• * 65 years of age and over
• * Poor-risk candidates for aggressive chemotherapy
• * Poor-risk cytogenetics (for AML, karyotype abnormalities other than t(8;21), inv(16), t(15;17))
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• At least 12 weeks
• Hematopoietic:
• Stratum I only:
• * No uncontrolled autoimmune hemolytic anemia
• * No idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
• Stratum II only:
• * WBC no greater than 10,000/mm\^3 OR
• * WBC no greater than 40,000/mm\^3 that is stable for at least 1 week (may be sustained by hydroxyurea through the first week of study)
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• ALT and AST no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal
• Renal:
• Creatinine less than 2.0 mg/dL
• Cardiovascular:
• Ejection fraction at least 50% by MUGA
• No myocardial infarction or unstable angina within the past 6 months
• No prior unstable ventricular or supraventricular cardiac arrhythmias
• Other:
• HIV negative
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No other medical or psychiatric problem that would preclude study
• Stratum I only:
• * No active infection requiring oral or IV antibiotics
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 28 days since prior chemotherapy (except hydroxyurea)
• At least 6 weeks since prior nitrosoureas
• At least 8 weeks since prior UCN-01 (unless plasma UCN-01 level less than 1 uM)
• Endocrine therapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Radiotherapy:
• At least 28 days since prior radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• At least 28 days since prior major surgery